Report: Paramount to back Blu-ray
Financial Times says movie studio has the option to switch camps in wake of Warner's decision; studio reiterates HD-DVD stand.
By Emma Boyes, GameSpot UK
Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:53 am ET
Things are heating up in the HD DVD versus Blu-ray format wars--and it's no longer looking like the stalemate that Sony CEO Howard Stringer declared two months ago.
At the end of last week, Warner Bros. announced that it had decided to back Blu-ray--and now there are rumours that because of this move, Paramount and possibly DreamWorks Animation won't be far behind.
Today's Financial Times reveals that according to its sources, Paramount is "poised to reveal" it will be abandoning the HD DVD format in order to go Blu-ray exclusive.
The article states, "Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, is understood to have a clause in its contract with the HD DVD camp that would allow it to switch sides in the event of Warner Bros. backing Blu-ray."
The newspaper believes that this would be the "death knell" for HD DVD and would see the format "likely to suffer the same fate as Sony's now obsolete Betamax video technology, which lost out to VHS in a similar format war in the 1980s."
Blu-ray is currently backed by 20th Century Fox, MGM, Walt Disney, and most recently Warner Bros.; if Paramount jumps ship, Universal will be left as the biggest HD DVD backer.
However, according to a later report from Bloomberg, Paramount has denied that it will be making the move. Brenda Ciccone told the financial Web site, "Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format." Toshiba spokesperson Keisuke Ohmori called the report "speculative," while Sony declined to comment.
The rumours had an immediate effect on the stock market--Toshiba's stock fell 0.1 percent to close at ¥782 ($7.17), though during the day the shares had dropped as much as a 1.3 percent, whereas Sony's rose 3.4 percent.
This should shut the naysayers up.
But alas, just because it should doesn't mean it will.
I was just joking Blas. Blu-ray for life sucka!
And I thought for once in my life I'd agree with GFreeman, but I guess not... But seriously, until you get an HDTV and a BR/HD player and buy lots of HD movies, you won't see any incentive to upgrade. Maybe someone will think of something, but I doubt it for the next couple of years.
Glad to see that myself, Blas, and "GFreeman" can all agree on one topic. I think this is the first time we ever have.
lol...me too. I didnt think the red looked good. Blue also happens to be my favorite color................
I always liked the blue cases more
Yay! Heroes Season 1 on BR now a possibility. I hope it happens as well.THE DEATH NAIL IN HD-DVD'S COFFIN IF THIS PANS OUT!!!up:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184567.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;2
Universal Re-Affirms HD DVD Support
Thu Jan 10, 2008 at 06:39 PM ET
Responding to published reports that its commitment to backing HD DVD exclusively has ended, Universal has issued a new statement of support for HD DVD.
"Contrary to unsubstantiated rumors from unnamed sources, Universal's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group.
Graffeo's comments follow a report in yesterday's Variety that Universal's agreement to exclusively support HD DVD had ended and had not been renewed. The report went on to speculate that both Universal and Paramount could switch sides soon, ending the high-def format war instantly.
A Universal spokesperson told us this afternoon that the studio plans to issue new upcoming HD DVD title announcements in the near future.
The HD DVD Promotions Group is also said to be planning its own statement regarding the rumors of a Universal switch to format neutrality.