The top news and charts for week ending November 5, 2007 .
Big Blue looks to boost sell-through as losses grow Wal-Mart expands high-def position Blu-ray backers launch promotional campaign | Spidey swings to DVD To celebrate the Oct. 30 DVD release of Spider-Man 3, Sony’s (l. to r.) Gregg Shack, Jennifer Anderson and Staci Griesbach with director Sam Raimi participated in promos in New York’s Times Square on Oct. 29. See more industry photos. |
"MR. BROOKS" leads Top DVD Renters Chart "TRANSFORMERS" leads Top DVD Sellers Chart "TRANSFORMERS" leads Top HD DVD Sellers Chart "MEET THE ROBINSONS" leads Top Blu-ray Sellers Chart |
|
||
 |
SWEETING: Copy regime |
 |
BETWEEN THE LINES: BD camp makes its own news |
 |
RED STATE, BLUE STATE: You totally saw this one coming |
 |
DISC DISH: The Smurfs DVD |
 |
DVDIALOG: Afterburner continues to fly high |
|
THE DOWN LOW: What will you say? |
Spider-Man 3 swings strong sales
NOV. 2 | With no strong competition hitting stores Oct. 23, Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers rode to the top of the DVD sellers chart for a second week. Then Spider-Man 3 swung in Oct. 30 as the second of the season’s elite club of $300 million-plus-grossing films. But despite a strong performance, some retailers reported that the webbed one wasn’t strong enough to take Transformers down.
Full Story
Microsoft targets gamers with HD DVD promos
NOV. 2 | Despite selling 210,000 of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-ons through September—more than any individual Blu-ray standalone player—Microsoft’s strategy is to market the unit as a niche accessory.
Full Story
Wal-Mart expands high-def position
NOV. 1 | Leading DVD retailer Wal-Mart is moving to expand its position in high-def discs, with both aggressive hardware pricing for the holidays and a roll out of dedicated software sections to all its stores early next year.
Full Story
Big Blue looks to boost sell-through as losses grow
NOV. 1 | Blockbuster laid out some details of its plan to improve store profitability—including a focus on consumer sales—as it reported a wider third-quarter loss Thursday.
Full Story
Wal-Mart joins landlords objecting to Movie Gallery closings
OCT. 30 | Online exclusive: Wal-Mart has added its name to the list of landlords objecting to Movie Gallery’s plans to put some of its leases up for auction and sell off inventory to the public from the stores it is closing.
Full Story
Nishimura-Seese moves from studio side to retail
OCT. 29 | Lisa Nishimura-Seese has joined Netflix as VP of independent content acquisition, a newly created post in which she’s charged with broadening the selection of independent and small studio films offered on the DVD rental site.
Full Story
Redbox extends rental period
OCT. 29 | Online exclusive: DVD kiosk operator Redbox is extending its rental return time to 9p.m. nationwide, from 7p.m. A late meeting, soccer practice, dinner out—7p.m. is sometimes right in the middle of the day,” said Gary Lancina, VP of marketing for Redbox. “To better accommodate our consumers’ busy lives, Redbox is extending our return time to 9p.m. nationwide.”
Full Story
Spider-Man 3 swings strong sales
NOV. 2 | With no strong competition hitting stores Oct. 23, Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers rode to the top of the DVD sellers chart for a second week. Then Spider-Man 3 swung in Oct. 30 as the second of the season’s elite club of $300 million-plus-grossing films. But despite a strong performance, some retailers reported that the webbed one wasn’t strong enough to take Transformers down.
Full Story
Shiloh Falls shoots to DVD on Jan. 8
NOV. 2 | Indie New Light Entertainment will street western Shiloh Falls on Jan. 8 (prebook Dec. 4; DVD $24.99), the same day Lionsgate releases 3:10 to Yuma.
Full Story
Disney hosts big bash for Ratatouille release
OCT. 31 | HOLLYWOOD—Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment mounted a Disneyland-style extravaganza for hundreds of guests Tuesday night as part of the launch campaign for the Nov. 6 release of Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille on DVD and Blu-ray and Cars on Blu-ray.
Full Story
Shrek adds green to DreamWorks
OCT. 31 | FROM VARIETY: DreamWorks Animation's revenue nearly tripled in the fiscal third quarter ended Sept. 30, to $160 million, about $92 million of which derived from Shrek the Third.
Full Story
Tyra Banks moves to DVD premieres with Clique
OCT. 30 | Online exclusive: Tyra Banks has inked an expansive overall deal with Warner Bros. that includes working on direct-to-DVD projects for Warner Premiere, starting with adaptations of the bestselling Clique series of teen novels.
Full Story
MGM promotes United Artists catalog
OCT. 29 | To promote the upcoming 90th anniversary of United Artists, parent MGM Home Entertainment is launching an 18-month catalog promotion with a $20 million media campaign, traveling festival and national sweepstakes. MGM said the 18-month promotion will be the largest catalog event in video industry history. More than 50 UA films will be relaunched on DVD.
Full Story
Fox to release Sunshine with Blu-ray picture-in-picture
OCT. 29 | LOS ANGELES—20th Century Fox Home Entertainment said it will be the first studio to street a Blu-ray Disc title with picture-in-picture interactivity, with the January release of sci-fi thriller Sunshine.
Full Story
Blu-ray backers launch promotional campaign
OCT. 29 | Consumer electronics manufacturers and studios that back the Blu-ray Disc format have kicked off a new educational effort with the tagline “I do Blu.” Meanwhile, SPHE sold its 1 millionth Blu-ray disc last week, with its release of Surf’s Up.
Full Story
NBC Universal says Apple iTunes deal rotten
OCT. 29 | FROM VARIETY: NBC Universal topper Jeff Zucker warned that new digital business models were turning media revenue “from dollars into pennies” and revealed NBC U booked just $15 million in revenue during the last year of its deal with Apple’s iTunes.
Full Story
NBC, Fox online video site Hulu launches
OCT. 29 | The partnership between NBC and 20th Century Fox to stream the networks’ programming online in a free, ad-based service launched today, following last minute deals to add Sony Pictures Television and MGM Studios into the mix.
Full Story
Spider-Man 3 swings strong sales
NOV. 2 | With no strong competition hitting stores Oct. 23, Paramount Home Entertainment’s Transformers rode to the top of the DVD sellers chart for a second week. Then Spider-Man 3 swung in Oct. 30 as the second of the season’s elite club of $300 million-plus-grossing films. But despite a strong performance, some retailers reported that the webbed one wasn’t strong enough to take Transformers down.
Full Story
Microsoft targets gamers with HD DVD promos
NOV. 2 | Despite selling 210,000 of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-ons through September—more than any individual Blu-ray standalone player—Microsoft’s strategy is to market the unit as a niche accessory.
Full Story
Wal-Mart expands high-def position
NOV. 1 | Leading DVD retailer Wal-Mart is moving to expand its position in high-def discs, with both aggressive hardware pricing for the holidays and a roll out of dedicated software sections to all its stores early next year.
Full Story
Blu-ray Disc Assn. promotes new Bonus View
OCT. 30 | LOS ANGELES—The Blu-ray Disc Assn. has branded the new profile for Blu-ray hardware ‘Bonus View.’ BDA Promotions Committee's Andy Parsons also said the BDA is not going to object to some Blu-ray manufacturers, such as Samsung, which are not technically abiding by the Oct. 31 date.
Full Story
Fox to release Sunshine with Blu-ray picture-in-picture
OCT. 29 | LOS ANGELES—20th Century Fox Home Entertainment said it will be the first studio to street a Blu-ray Disc title with picture-in-picture interactivity, with the January release of sci-fi thriller Sunshine.
Full Story
Blu-ray backers launch promotional campaign
OCT. 29 | Consumer electronics manufacturers and studios that back the Blu-ray Disc format have kicked off a new educational effort with the tagline “I do Blu.” Meanwhile, SPHE sold its 1 millionth Blu-ray disc last week, with its release of Surf’s Up.
Full Story
Microsoft targets gamers with HD DVD promos
NOV. 2 | Despite selling 210,000 of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-ons through September—more than any individual Blu-ray standalone player—Microsoft’s strategy is to market the unit as a niche accessory.
Full Story
CinemaNow signs with Samsung
NOV. 1 | Online exclusive: CinemaNow’s download video service is now available on the Samsung P2 Portable Media Player. Samsung P2 users can purchase and download movies, TV shows and music videos at Samsung.CinemaNow.com, priced from $1.99 to $19.95.
Full Story
NBC Universal says Apple iTunes deal rotten
OCT. 29 | FROM VARIETY: NBC Universal topper Jeff Zucker warned that new digital business models were turning media revenue “from dollars into pennies” and revealed NBC U booked just $15 million in revenue during the last year of its deal with Apple’s iTunes.
Full Story
NBC, Fox online video site Hulu launches
OCT. 29 | The partnership between NBC and 20th Century Fox to stream the networks’ programming online in a free, ad-based service launched today, following last minute deals to add Sony Pictures Television and MGM Studios into the mix.
Full Story
Wal-Mart expands high-def position
NOV. 1 | Leading DVD retailer Wal-Mart is moving to expand its position in high-def discs, with both aggressive hardware pricing for the holidays and a roll out of dedicated software sections to all its stores early next year.
Full Story
CinemaNow signs with Samsung
NOV. 1 | Online exclusive: CinemaNow’s download video service is now available on the Samsung P2 Portable Media Player. Samsung P2 users can purchase and download movies, TV shows and music videos at Samsung.CinemaNow.com, priced from $1.99 to $19.95.
Full Story
Blu-ray Disc Assn. promotes new Bonus View
OCT. 30 | LOS ANGELES—The Blu-ray Disc Assn. has branded the new profile for Blu-ray hardware ‘Bonus View.’ BDA Promotions Committee's Andy Parsons also said the BDA is not going to object to some Blu-ray manufacturers, such as Samsung, which are not technically abiding by the Oct. 31 date.
Full Story
| News | Market Data | Tipsheet Reviews | New Releases | Blogs | Events | Resources | Videogames |
This message was sent to c.cheng@reedbusiness.com.
SUBSCRIBE
To sign up for a free subscription to the weekly printed Video Business magazine -- where you can find additional news stories, the industry's most complete VHS and DVD sales and rental charts, product reviews, special reports and market data, please click here.
For answers to advertising or editorial questions, please click here.
To sign up for Video Business E-News weekly summaries and bulletins, please click here
To unsubscribe, please click here.
To change your profile or to register for other newsletters, please click here.
If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact our Online Support Team at: MediaSupport@reedbusiness.com.
or:
Reed Business Information
2000 Clearwater Dr.
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Fax: (630) 288-8394
To request the text version of the Video Business Weekly Summary, please contact our Online Support Team at: MediaSupport@reedbusiness.com.
To read the Video Business Privacy Policy, please click here.
The 26-year-old Video Business print magazine also is a daily online publication (www.videobusiness.com) covering the physical, digital and electronic distribution of video; retailing and the original production of VHS, DVD, interactive and broadband video programming; and videogames.
Video Business® is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc. used under license. Trademark owner:
Reed Elsevier Properties Inc.
1105 North Market Street
Ninth Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
© Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.