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Rumors about Paramount changing allegiances
http://www.reuters.com/article/compa...20151820080108
TOKYO, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Paramount studios is poised to drop its support of the high-definition DVD (HD DVD) format after Warner Bros studio said it would back the competing Blu-ray format, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The loss of support from Paramount, which is owned by Viacom Inc (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research), would likely deal the final blow to the HD DVD format backed by Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and put an end to the format war, the newspaper said on its Web site. Time Warner Inc's (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Warner Bros studio on Friday said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) Blu-ray format, marking a major setback to the HD DVD camp. [ID:nN04446354] Blu-ray discs outsold HD DVD by nearly two-to-one in the United States last year, but HD DVD had secured major allies in August when Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc said they would go exclusively with HD DVD. But Paramount is understood to have a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to change sides if Warner Bros backed Blu-ray, the Financial Times said, citing people familiar with the situation. (Reporting by Nathan Layne) |
Denied... http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...bU&refer=japan
Paramount Denies Report It Will Drop Toshiba's HD DVD (Update2) By Andy Fixmer and John Liu Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures denied a newspaper report that the studio is poised to follow Time Warner Inc. in abandoning Toshiba Corp.'s HD DVD technology. ``Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format,'' Brenda Ciccone, a spokeswoman for Paramount, said in an e-mail today. Toshiba, the leading promoter of the HD DVD format for high- definition video discs, fell in Tokyo trading after the Financial Times reported Paramount is poised to adopt Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray format instead. Paramount can defect because a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp allows the studio to switch to Blu-ray if Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. dropped its support of Toshiba's standard, the newspaper reported today, citing unidentified people familiar with the plan. Warner Bros. said on Jan. 4 it would drop its support of HD DVD. Keisuke Ohmori, a spokesman for Tokyo-based Toshiba, said the report is speculative. Masayo Endo, a spokeswoman for Sony, declined to comment on the report. |
Originally Posted by sm8680
http://www.reuters.com/article/compa...20151820080108
TOKYO, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Paramount studios is poised to drop its support of the high-definition DVD (HD DVD) format after Warner Bros studio said it would back the competing Blu-ray format, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The loss of support from Paramount, which is owned by Viacom Inc (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research), would likely deal the final blow to the HD DVD format backed by Toshiba Corp (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and put an end to the format war, the newspaper said on its Web site. Time Warner Inc's (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Warner Bros studio on Friday said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) Blu-ray format, marking a major setback to the HD DVD camp. [ID:nN04446354] Blu-ray discs outsold HD DVD by nearly two-to-one in the United States last year, but HD DVD had secured major allies in August when Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc said they would go exclusively with HD DVD. But Paramount is understood to have a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to change sides if Warner Bros backed Blu-ray, the Financial Times said, citing people familiar with the situation. (Reporting by Nathan Layne) |
I'd rather they bail on HD-DVD right now. If the alternative is for them to sit on their asses for the next year and release no catalog titles while they wait for their exclusive deal to expire, just end the damn format war today.
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I'm just speculating here, but if such a clause exists, then they probably can't officially bail until WB officially bails (i.e. May of 2008). Saying otherwise at this point could be seen as a violation of the contract.
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Originally Posted by kenbuzz
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<--- Requesting thread closure. |
Originally Posted by firteen88
Of course HD DVD representatives are going to say the story is false for now.
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Paramount <i>did</i> say it was false, but with no new major announcements coming out of CES one does have to wonder...
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While title announcements have been made in the past at CES, it's not always a guarantee. People read too much into things like that.
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More Information....
Well... we've had SOME confirmation this morning of the details of the Financial Times story from last night. While the studio isn't yet commenting, reliable industry sources are telling us that Paramount is indeed preparing to end their HD-DVD support and announce a return to the Blu-ray fold. Details are currently being finalized, and an announcement is expected as soon as they're complete. Paramount's first new Blu-rays will almost certainly include many of those titles that were cancelled last year, but that were already packaged and ready for shipping, so you could see them in stores very quickly once the studio announces. Meanwhile, sources are telling us that Universal has also been talking with the BDA, and is looking to follow Paramount and Warner's lead as soon as possible. On a related note, Times Online in the U.K. is now reporting that as many as 20 additional firms currently backing HD-DVD are also considering defection in the wake of Warner's Friday announcement, including Fujitsu, Lenovo, Kenwood and Pony Canyon (which is a major Japanese film and music studio). What's more, word is starting to circulate at CES that major big box retailers will begin winding down in-store support for HD-DVD as soon as these studios go public with their decisions. We're told that the industry's major retail partners are already pressuring Paramount, DreamWorks and Universal to go Blu following Warner's decision. Rumors are also beginning to circulate here that Apple's Steve Jobs may announce the addition of Blu-ray Disc drives to their Mac desktop lineup at next week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco. We would caution you to keep in mind that all of this should be considered unofficial until the studios make their actual announcements. Things are moving very fast, and the situation is highly fluid. Still, it really looks like this is the end for HD-DVD, and the end of the format war overall. We'll keep you up to date with new developments as they break. Stay tuned... |
Originally Posted by KillerCannabis
Paramount <i>did</i> say it was false, but with no new major announcements coming out of CES one does have to wonder...
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sucks.... now we would have to pay more |
As a blu-ray supporter I'd like it to be true, but postings by the less than subjective digitalbits are difficult to take credence in.
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Originally Posted by KillerCannabis
Paramount <i>did</i> say it was false, but with no new major announcements coming out of CES one does have to wonder...
but it's lack of news or committment that undermines HD-DVD. The way both Paramount and Universal have been with the lack of major titles, it becomes painful obvious that the two studios that would want and need to keep HD-DVD afloat, haven't been as aggressive as they should be. |
Originally Posted by Giles
but it's lack of news or committment that undermines HD-DVD. The way both Paramount and Universal have been with the lack of major titles, it becomes painful obvious that the two studios that would want and need to keep HD-DVD afloat, haven't been as aggressive as they should be.
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God I think everyone is going to let out a collective groan if Paramount's first title back is Blades of Glory and not Transformers.
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Originally Posted by kenbuzz
He can wish it not so, but for now, Paramount is HD DVD exclusive. Also, this proves that Harry Lime is not here to participate, but to cause trouble. He clearly doesn't read anything that anyone else posts or he would have seen the denial from Paramount, which consequently debunked his copying and pasting of Bill Hunt'spost. |
Originally Posted by raven56706
sucks.... now we would have to pay more
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Of course there are rumors about Paramount (and I'm sure Universal) to switch sides.
Until it's announced we should not be posting stuff like tdb commentary on it since it's no more valid than you or I commenting on it. It's gonna happen, probably sooner rather than later, lets just wait til the STUDIO announces it. |
Originally Posted by tonymontana313
God I think everyone is going to let out a collective groan if Paramount's first title back is Blades of Glory and not Transformers.
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I don't care what paramount does as long as they get me Braveheart on one of the formats.
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I don't care what Paramount does as long as they get me The Godfather Trilogy on one of the formats.
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Originally Posted by DVD Josh
No, you won't. Prices will remain the same or better.
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What? Pony Canyon too? :(
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