Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats-Antitrust activity
07-04-07 | 01:58 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 720
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: London, England
Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats-Antitrust activity
http://online.wsj.com/public/article...f_main_tff_top
Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,13...y/article.html
Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats
The European Commission, the European Union's executive body, appears to be particularly interested in the activities of the Blu-ray group because of its dominance in Hollywood, according to people familiar with the situation. The commission is investigating whether improper tactics were used to suppress competition and persuade the studios to back their format.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,13...y/article.html
The European Union's antitrust regulator has asked Hollywood studios to turn over information about their negotiations with the developers of high-definition DVD formats, giving them until the end of this week to respond.
Anticompetitive activity can ultimately harm consumers, Lemonnier said. But consumers might prefer to see one format dominate the market, as VHS swept away videotape rival Betamax in an earlier battle over formats. As long as the two compete, and film studios choose one or the other, movie buffs are condemned to buy two players, or be unable to watch some films at home.
Representatives for Blu-ray Disc backer Sony and HD DVD supporter Toshiba Corp., and for the DVD Forum, which promotes the HD DVD format, all declined to comment on the Commission's action, saying that it was a matter for the Hollywood studios alone. The studios could not immediately be reached.
07-04-07 | 11:44 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Can't help but notice the difference in the "since inception" numbers that are shown in that article and the pie chart posted in the Blockbuster thread.
vs.
vs.
Last edited by Maxflier; 07-04-07 at 11:49 AM.
07-04-07 | 11:22 PM
#3
DVD Talk Reviewer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,380
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Blu-ray.com
Originally Posted by Maxflier
Can't help but notice the difference in the "since inception" numbers that are shown in that article and the pie chart posted in the Blockbuster thread.
Adams Media Research focuses on consulting, market and financial research.
The HD info also ends in April, and all posted sales data since then indicates growing BD numbers.
I would argue that Nielsen/Video Scan's data is a tiny bit more accurate when it comes to exacts numbers.
Pro-B
Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 07-04-07 at 11:24 PM.
07-05-07 | 08:37 AM
#6
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 31,706
Received 2,803 Likes
on
1,864 Posts
From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Right. Videoscan includes Amazon. I'm not sure what their coverage of other online retailers is like, but I'd imagine Amazon makes up the bulk of online sales. Wal-Mart is the big omission with Videoscan, but I don't think that would skew things away from Blu-ray in this case.
07-05-07 | 08:44 AM
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist
The HD info also ends in April, and all posted sales data since then indicates growing BD numbers.
07-05-07 | 09:02 AM
#8
DVD Talk Reviewer/ Admin
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 31,706
Received 2,803 Likes
on
1,864 Posts
From: Greenville, South Cackalack
Originally Posted by Maxflier
Not sure what you mean by this exactly
07-05-07 | 09:38 AM
#9
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by matome
Nielsen/Videoscan does include websites, including Amazon. Grubert can verify.
I must have been thinking about the WalMart omission, but as Adam said, they would hardly alter things away from BD.
07-05-07 | 12:04 PM
#10
DVD Talk Reviewer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 10,380
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Blu-ray.com
Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
I think he saw the inception date of April 2006 for HD DVD and mistook that as meaning the sales data only went through April 2007.
That would be it. Thanks, Adam.
Pro-B
