The top news and charts for week ending August 17, 2007 .
Movie Gallery gets extension on loan Game rentals lift waning summer Disney to release BD-Live titles in 2008 |
"DISTURBIA" leads Top DVD Renters Chart "300" leads Top DVD Sellers Chart "300" leads Top HD DVD Sellers Chart "300" leads Top Blu-ray Sellers Chart |
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SWEETING: OPINION: Ark, anyone? |
Movie Gallery gets extension on loan
AUG. 17 | Teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, Movie Gallery received an extension until Aug. 27 on its forbearance agreement with its lenders, even after reporting a $310 million net loss for the second quarter. The forbearance agreement, which the company obtained after defaulting on its loan requirements, had been set to expire Aug. 14.
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Netflix turns to phone customer service
AUG. 16 | Going a different direction than most companies in the Internet era, Netflix has stopped taking customer service questions and complaints via e-mail, preferring to handle all customer support issues by phone.
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Blockbuster buys Movielink for $6.6 million
AUG. 14 | Blockbuster, which first tried to buy movie download service Movielink for $70 million a year ago, paid just $6.6 million in an all cash deal last week when it finally closed the deal, according to a filing today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Kiosk company Polar Frog joins DEG
AUG. 13 | Polar Frog Digital, a company that distributes and operates movie download kiosks, has joined the Digital Entertainment Group as an associate member.
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Netflix, Target share Tony Bennet DVD exclusive
AUG. 13 | Netflix and Target will have a six-week exclusive DVD window on upcoming documentary Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends from Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment, as part of a near simultaneous release of the flick on TV and DVD.
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Movie Gallery warns it may be out of time
AUG. 10 | Movie Gallery posted a wider loss for the second quarter ended July 1, and said on Friday that there is “substantial doubt” as to whether it can continue as a going concern.
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Disney to release BD-Live titles in 2008
AUG. 17 | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment next year will bow its first Blu-ray Disc titles with advanced interactivity, including Web-enabled and picture-in-picture bonus features. Sleeping Beauty will have BD-Live and picture-in-picture will be on Finding Nemo and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (pictured).
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For VCI, digital delivery's a scream
AUG. 16 | For the first time, VCI Entertainment is serving up its library full of cult and obscure works for digital delivery.
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No movement yet on DVD-CCA amendment
AUG. 16 | The ongoing legal skirmish between the DVD Copy Control Assn. and home media server marketer Kaleidescape Systems flared again last week. The CSS licensing agent issued its first formal response to Kaleidescape’s earlier threat to bring an anti-trust action against the group if it proceeded with a proposed amendment to the specifications governing the design of DVD drives.
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Hollywood hits new highs
AUG. 16 | FROM VARIETY: For better or for worse, the record-breaking run at the summer box office has dramatically raised the bar for just how high Hollywood can fly. The boom, including over $300 million-grossing Shrek the Third, means summer 2007 is turning out to be the best on the books.
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Consumers prefer DVD, TV over downloading for movies
AUG. 15 | Consumers still prefer watching TV shows and movies on DVD or the TV to watching movies online via streaming or downloading, according to a study by industry trade group DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.
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Disney demands retraction of Baby Einstein study
AUG. 15 | UPDATE: The Walt Disney Co. is demanding that the University of Washington retract study results issued last week that claimed Baby Einstein and similar educational DVDs can slow vocabulary development in babies. Disney claims its Baby Einstein line of DVDs, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Group, have been impacted by the press release the University put out about the study.
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Image reports $2.6 million loss for fiscal Q2
AUG. 14 | Hurt by costs relating to its impending acquisition and ongoing restructuring, Image Entertainment reported softening earnings in its fiscal first-quarter 2008. The indie supplier posted a $2.6 million net loss for the three months ended June 30, slightly wider than the $2.3 million in red ink it recorded during the comparable period last year.
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Universal to distribute Lego DVD premiere movies
AUG. 14 | New CGI animation company Tinseltown Toons will distribute two to three family DVD premiere movies a year through Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Tinseltown has a deal with the LEGO Company to produce animated DVD premiere movies based on the toy company’s brands LEGO City, LEGO Mars Mission (pictured), LEGO Castle, LEGO Creator and Bionicle.
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Kiosk company Polar Frog joins DEG
AUG. 13 | Polar Frog Digital, a company that distributes and operates movie download kiosks, has joined the Digital Entertainment Group as an associate member.
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Genius Products LLC reports first profitable quarter
AUG. 13 | Genius Products LLC, the video distributor controlled by The Weinstein Co., posted its first profit during the quarter ended June 30, showing $2.1 million in net income. Boosted primarily by such TWC feature DVD releases as Hannibal Rising (pictured), Bobby and Arthur and the Invisibles, Genius LLC scored record revenue of $113 million for the period, a 36% rise from the prior quarter.
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Sony: Blu-ray growing in developing markets
AUG. 13 | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is touting Blu-ray Disc strength in developing markets, noting that format title sales in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now account for 10% of the company’s overall business. One of the top titles is Casino Royale.
Full Story
Netflix, Target share Tony Bennet DVD exclusive
AUG. 13 | Netflix and Target will have a six-week exclusive DVD window on upcoming documentary Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends from Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment, as part of a near simultaneous release of the flick on TV and DVD.
Full Story
Arts Alliance America adds four executives
AUG. 13 | Arts Alliance America, expanding under its new ownership, has added four executives to its ranks. Tom Mack has been named director of national accounts; Michael Reff has been tapped director of sales, western U.S.; Lucille Deane (pictured) has been named director of marketing for Arts Alliance Media; and Kimberly Sciallo has been appointed director of sports marketing, a newly created role.
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Disney to release BD-Live titles in 2008
AUG. 17 | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment next year will bow its first Blu-ray Disc titles with advanced interactivity, including Web-enabled and picture-in-picture bonus features. Sleeping Beauty will have BD-Live and picture-in-picture will be on Finding Nemo and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (pictured).
Full Story
Sony markets high-definition with HDNA campaign
AUG. 16 | Sony Electronics is launching its largest marketing campaign to date to hype its full suite of high-definition products.
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Sony: Blu-ray growing in developing markets
AUG. 13 | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is touting Blu-ray Disc strength in developing markets, noting that format title sales in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now account for 10% of the company’s overall business. One of the top titles is Casino Royale.
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Game rentals lift waning summer
AUG. 17 | Consumers’ adoption of next-generation videogames is lifting rental business, bringing a welcome respite to the slow summer DVD release slate.
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High hopes for Halo 3 launch
AUG. 13 | FROM VARIETY: The videogame Halo 3 hits store shelves Sept. 25, and Microsoft is positioning it to be the most successful debut of any entertainment property ever with an extensive multiplatform advertising blitz geared to generate debut grosses topping even the biggest of summer tentpole pics.
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AOL launches video search engine Truveo
AUG. 16 | FROM VARIETY: AOL may have lost the text-search battle to Google, but it's aiming to take the crown in video searching. The Time Warner-owned portal is launching today a destination site for its video search engine Truveo.
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Consumers prefer DVD, TV over downloading for movies
AUG. 15 | Consumers still prefer watching TV shows and movies on DVD or the TV to watching movies online via streaming or downloading, according to a study by industry trade group DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.
Full Story
Blockbuster buys Movielink for $6.6 million
AUG. 14 | Blockbuster, which first tried to buy movie download service Movielink for $70 million a year ago, paid just $6.6 million in an all cash deal last week when it finally closed the deal, according to a filing today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Google to close Video download service
AUG. 13 | Google’s decision to close its online video download service this week sparked an Internet uproar, as users will no longer be able to view their digital rights management-protected TV and movie downloads bought from the site.
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Disney to release BD-Live titles in 2008
AUG. 17 | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment next year will bow its first Blu-ray Disc titles with advanced interactivity, including Web-enabled and picture-in-picture bonus features. Sleeping Beauty will have BD-Live and picture-in-picture will be on Finding Nemo and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (pictured).
Full Story
Sony markets high-definition with HDNA campaign
AUG. 16 | Sony Electronics is launching its largest marketing campaign to date to hype its full suite of high-definition products.
Full Story
No movement yet on DVD-CCA amendment
AUG. 16 | The ongoing legal skirmish between the DVD Copy Control Assn. and home media server marketer Kaleidescape Systems flared again last week. The CSS licensing agent issued its first formal response to Kaleidescape’s earlier threat to bring an anti-trust action against the group if it proceeded with a proposed amendment to the specifications governing the design of DVD drives.
Full Story
Consumers prefer DVD, TV over downloading for movies
AUG. 15 | Consumers still prefer watching TV shows and movies on DVD or the TV to watching movies online via streaming or downloading, according to a study by industry trade group DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.
Full Story
Sony: Blu-ray growing in developing markets
AUG. 13 | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is touting Blu-ray Disc strength in developing markets, noting that format title sales in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now account for 10% of the company’s overall business. One of the top titles is Casino Royale.
Full Story
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