At the 9 life's DVD conference this week the studio executives and others talking did everything but hit the retailers attending the show between the eyes with the fact that video stores are on the way out.
At the 9 life's DVD conference this week the studio executives and others at the conference did everything but hit the retailers attending the show between the eyes with this info below.
They told them that compression was the key to downloads and that Microsoft and others were working on it. That they were unhappy about shelf space and the short life of a DVD in the stores. That they needed vertical integration to make things work better. That change was important and that video stores had better start getting into the net. That music downloads on Kiosks were coming.
(C)mbn 2006 (William Hoehne)
Below was the logical next step.
Installing video-burning kiosks in retail stores would help counter the slowing growth in the $24 billion home DVD market, executives said.
Retailers have used discounted DVDs to lure customers to stores and sell them other goods. But increasingly, Hollywood's studios are starting to offer digital downloads of films, TV shows and videos to cell phones, PCs and laptop computers.
Retailers are concerned that digital downloads might spell an end to the sale of DVDs, and see the download-to-burn kiosks as a way to keep them in the DVD business.
"There have been discussions with all the major retailers who have an interest in kiosks because they would let them grow their product offerings without using a lot of shelf space," said Jim Wuthrich, senior vice president, digital distribution for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
"Burning DVDs in stores could happen in 2007," he said, but noted various licensing and technology hurdles still remained. Warner Bros. is the studio owned by Time Warner Inc. (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) .
