Posted by Derek Janssen on 01/05/08 00:59

caliman.john@gmail.com wrote:

> Just days before CES 2008, Warner Home Video has announced that they
> are going to stop supporting HD-DVD and support the Blu-Ray format
> exclusively. There are rumors that this decision was made after Sony
> paid Warner 1.8 billion dollars to sign an exclusive contract, one of
> the largest payoffs yet (the second largest being 150 million to
> Paramount and Dreamworks to go HD-DVD exclusively.)

Although Home Media Magazine, in their studio-exec interview year-end
wrapup, tell a different story--
As Warner's Ron Sanders and Steve Einhorn were clearly trying to put a
happy (or at least corporately tactful) face on the fact that it Just
Wasn't Fun Being Neutral Anymore:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom123007/index.php?startpage=48

---
Q: Some said Q4'07 was supposed to be the breakout time, and Q4'06
before that. Why are things taking longer than projected?
Einhorn: "Dueling formats have restrained our ability to launch
large-scale industry-wide marketing initiatives directed toward
providing purchasers with the simple, direct, and compelling story to
drive consumer interest and packaged media sales."

Q: It's not just consumers who are confused--Store-level retailers are
sending mixed messages to customers. Who needs to take the lead in
educating the masses?
Sanders: "Unfortunately, the dueling formats created an information
logjam in what should have been our conversation with consumers. It's
just not necessary, it's crucial that we as an industry make
communication with the consumer THE priority."
---

(And yeah, that Harry Potter mixup--and footing the bill for the
replacement program--probably WAS the Camel's Straw.)

Derek Janssen (so, lemme guess, which camp came up with the "They were
probably bribed!" theory, with "Sony musta done it!" embellishments? 9_9 )
ejanss1@verizon.net

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