Sony: Blu-Ray Has Hit Price 'Sweet Point'
A top executive also says downloads still can't compete with hard discs.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 5, 2008) -- David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, says that Blu-ray player prices have finally hit the "sweet point" which should generate significant momentum for the high-def disc format.
That's according to an article by Home Media Magazine.
Studies have indicated that consumers have been reluctant to buy Blu-ray players largely because of their relatively high prices. Until recently, an entry-level Blu-ray player was priced at $399, triple the amount of a standard-def DVD player.
However, retailers have slashed the price of some Blu-ray players to under $200 and early holiday sales reports indicate that the move has paid off. The high-def disc player has been dubbed one of the holiday's hottest items.
"As is evidenced by the sell-off of Blu-ray players over Black Friday weekend, I would say we hit the sweet spot regarding price," Bishop told Home Media."Some stores were sold out by 9:30 a.m. (on Black Friday). Clearly, it is a top gift item. There will be more price-point-oriented promotions throughout December and that momentum will continue."
Bishop said the recent Blu-ray release of Hancock sold nearly 300,000 units in the first six days thanks to the Black Friday sales. He added that a strong holiday season for Blu-ray players should trigger an equally strong January for Blu-ray movies.|
"The positive in all this is the momentum we are getting from Blu-ray. It is continuing to grow and 200% to 300% year-over-year, and the ratio of Blu-ray and DVD sales continues to rise," he said. "That calls for optimism. For anyone who said that people would just go to digital and skip Blu-ray that has certainly been proven not to be true. Even if you took Blu-ray separately as a revenue stream, it is probably 20 times larger than digital revenue."
The executive also told Home Media Magazine that digital downloads -- movies delivered over the Net directly to the TV -- will not be able to compete with Blu-ray "until you are able to deliver high-quality content to the TV."
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Study: HDTV Sports Boosts TV Ratings
Nielsen says the audience is 20 percent higher.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 4, 2008) -- Nielsen Media Research says High-Definition TV is boosting TV ratings, particularly for sports, according to an article in USA Today.
In a study released Wednesday, Nielsen said roughly 22 percent of U.S. households now watch high-def programming. (The number is less than the actual number of people who own high-def sets because some HD owners do not subscribe to cable or satellite HD programming packages; more than 30 percent of U.S. households are estimated to own HD sets.)
The 22 percent total is up sharply from September 2007 when Nielsen found that only 10 percent of U.S. homes were watching HD programming. But even more encouraging for high-def advocates, ratings for TV sports is 20 percent higher when they are broadcast in HD.
USA Today writes that Nielsen found that sports commentary is the most popular type of programming for high-def viewers.
Nielsen also said that TV viewing in the United States is at an all-time high. The average person now watches 142 hours of television a month.
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DIRECTV Adds Local PBS HD In 14 Markets
The satcaster says more coming this month.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 3, 2008) -- As promised earlier this year, DIRECTV has started adding local PBS High-Definition channels, a first for the satellite TV industry.
The satcaster says 14 markets now have local PBS HD channels in their DIRECTV lineups:
Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City-Dubuque, Iowa; Chicago; Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Ill.; Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Norfolk-Newport News, Va.; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas.
DIRECTV says PBS HD channels will be added to more markets this year and in 2009.
The local PBS HD launch follows the recent approval of an agreement announced earlier this year by DIRECTV and the Association of Public Television Stations. Under the agreement, DIRECTV says it will offer high-def programming from local PBS stations in markets where it now provides local HD channels.
DIRECTV now offers local HD channels in 115 markets and plans to expand that to 121 markets by year's end.
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Missouri HD Owners Waiting For Cable Boxes
Cable op Mediacom is two months late for some homes.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 3, 2008) -- You've purchased a new High-Definition TV and now you want to watch some of the great high-def programming available from your local cable provider. Right?
Well, not so fast if you're a resident of Springfield, Missouri. KSPR-TV, the ABC affiliate in Springfield, reports that roughly 200 people there are on a waiting list to get a high-def set-top from Mediacom, the local cable TV service.
In fact, some HDTV owners have been waiting as long as two months.
Mediacom is urging customers to be patient, saying more boxes are scheduled to come in. The cable op adds that other cable TV services are having the same problem around the nation.
"It's not just Springfield, the cable industry is having trouble keeping up with the demand for the customers asking for DVRs, and HDs, and especially the HD DVR. That's like the holy grail right now," Mediacom Region Operations VP Larry Peterson told the station. "We've got three different manufacturers we use to try to get the boxes available and it just seems as soon as we get them in, they go out."
The 2008 holiday shopping season could further complicate the issue with more consumers investing in high-def sets.
By the way, Mediacom says customers wil get eight new HD channels on December 17th -- WGN, TBS, CNN, Sci-Fi, A&E, History, HGTV, and Food.
That is, if you can get a high-def tuner box to watch them on.
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News Analysis
Blu-ray: A 2008 Holiday Hit?
PriceGrabber.com says sales of the high-def disc player are booming.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 2, 2008) -- Newspapers across the nation reported over the weekend that many Black Friday shoppers purchased sub $200 Blu-ray players. Some publications called the high-def disc player one of the hottest items on consumers' shopping lists.
"Flatscreen TVs, Blu-Ray players, vacuum cleaners and toys were selling fast at a Wal-Mart store at Fairfax, Va," Money/CNN reported Friday. One newspaper said a $128 Magnavox Blu-ray player was sold out by 9:30 a.m. at another Wal-Mart.
The reports have prompted some analysts to wonder if Blu-ray is finally reaching a mass audience -- thanks to those lower prices. Until recently, Blu-ray players started at $399, which has led to disappointing sales. (Less than three million people own standalone Blu-ray players.) But with retailers dropping prices under $200 for the holidays, the reports could signal a Blu-ray sales rush.
Of course, the Black Friday news reports were based on eyewitness accounts rather than actual sales numbers. But now two new reports have emerged that could give substance to the speculation that the 2008 holiday season could be a turning point for the high-def disc.
First, the National Retail Federation reported Monday that Blu-ray players were among the top-selling items during Black Friday weekend.
And today, PriceGrabber.com said that the Blu-ray player was the third hottest item during Black Friday weekend, trailing only "women's boots" and watches. The site, which monitors online shopping prices and trends, says online sales of Blu-ray players rose 147 percent compared to last year.
In addition, Sony's BDP-S350 was the third most popular product on Black Friday, PriceGrabber.com reported, trailing only Nintendo's Wii and the Ugg Australia 'Classic Short' boot.
The 2008 holiday shopping season has just begun. But if these reports continue, this could be a Blu Christmas.
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DreamWorks: 3-D Slow to Reach Homes
Studio executive says consumers will be reluctant to invest in 3-D capable sets.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (December 2, 2008) -- DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg says the growing popularity of 3-D movies in movie theaters will not spread to U.S. homes anytime soon.
The reason: Millions of consumers now own flat-screen TVs, which are not 3-D capable, and will be unlikely to invest in new 3-D sets in the coming years.
“It’s not a technology problem,” says Katzenberg. “But, who wants to spend another $1,500 when they just paid that for their new TVs? For 3D to be wildly available in homes is quite a ways away.”
Katzenberg offered his forecast at yesterday's 3D Entertainment Summit conference in Los Angeles, according to Video Business.
DreamWorks and other studios plans to release more films in the 3-D format in the next year. In fact, DreamWorks has committed to producing all of its films in 3-D starting next year.
The studios and movie theaters are excited about the rising box office numbers for 3-D films. Video Business reports that about 1,500 3-D theatrical screens are in the U.S., but the number will jump to 2,500 screens next year.
While the movie theaters are equipped to display the format, the Home Theater is another matter. Home viewers can now watch Blu-ray and DVD films in 3-D, but in most cases it requires the use of goggles which can distort the colors and destroy the experience. (Recent 3-D home video releases include Journey to the Center of the Earth and the Hannah Montana concert film.)
Mitsubishi, Samsung are among TV makers who have introduced 3-D capable sets that would not require the goggles. But Katzenberg says sales of those sets will be slow due to the recent home penetration of non 3-D sets.
The studio executive also questions whether the 3-D effect will ever be as powerful in the home as it is in the theater.
“It’s hard to have a 3D experience at the level of the immersive theatrical experience,” said Katzenberg, according to Video Business. “Light diminishes the 3D effect. Just opening a door in a dark room can diminish the quality. One place where I can go to watch 3D at home is in a closet, but you can’t get a 50-inch TV in there.”
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Redbox: Blu-ray Rentals For $1
The retail kiosk service says it will start carrying the high-def disc.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 25, 2008) -- Redbox, the DVD rental kiosk found in Wal-Mart and retail grocery stores, says it will begin carrying Blu-ray high-def discs.
Not only that, Redbox will charge just $1 a day for a Blu-ray title, the same as it now charges for a standard-def DVD, according to Home Media Magazine.
The convenience and low price could appeal to Blu-ray enthusiasts who have struggled to obtain new Blu-ray releases from online DVD rental service Netflix. Blockbuster has started carrying Blu-ray disc in many of its stores, but supplies can sometimes be limited and the rental cost is approximately $4.
Home Media Magazine reports that Redbox has not officially announced that it will carry Blu-ray, but it has posted a notice at its web site saying “Blu-ray Disc just got more convenient." The notice says Blu-ray titles will be available in select Wal-Mart stores for $1 a day.
The web site says it will soon direct customers to locations where Blu-ray rentals will be available.
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Blockbuster to Introduce Net TV Player
The video giant says it will include HD-quality films.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 25, 2008) -- Blockbuster yesterday said it's rolling out a $99 player that will deliver High-Definition quality movies from the Net to home TVs.
That's according to an article by Reuters.
The video retailer will now compete with Netflix, Apple, TiVo and other companies in the emerging Net TV category. Blockbuster said the MediaPoint player, made by Broadband device manufacturer 2Wire, will allow customers to download high-def movies for $1.99 each.
The set-top itself will cost $99.
According to Reuters, consumers will have 30 days to watch a movie after it's been downloaded and they must finish viewing it within 24 hours of hitting the Play button. Blockbuster officials say the menu will highlight newer releases, unlike Netflix's On Demand service which has 12,000 SD and HD titles.
The wire service writes that the service will be called Blockbuster OnDemand and it films can be ordered at the company's web site beginning today.
The On Demand service will be available to customers who do not subscribe to Blockbuster Online, the company's online DVD rental service.
Reuters reports that Blockbuster is talking with Blu-ray manufacturers about including the service in their players.
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Cox Tries to Fool San Diego HD Viewers
The cable operator says 19 HD VOD choices are actually 19 new HD channels.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 24, 2008) -- Will cable operators say anything to convince people they offer more high-def programming than satellite?
Unfortunately, the answer appears to be yes.
We have reported recently how Comcast is trying to fool Florida subscribers (and other people across the nation) that its HD VOD menu 'choices' represent actual 24-hour high-def channels.
"In January of 2004, we began offering high definition television in South Florida. At that time we offered a total of 12 channels; today, less than 4 years later, we offer more than 1,000 HD OnDemand choices -- five times more than last year!" stated a recent Comcast press release.
By stressing its lineup of 'choices,' Comcast is trying to fool people into thinking it has as much high-def programming as satcasters DIRECTV and Dish Network, which offer more than 100 high-def channels.
But it simply does not. A short On Demand music video (counts as one HD choice, according to Comcast) or even a two-hour HD VOD movie does not compare to a 24-hour HD channel. And Comcast offers less than 40 actual HD channels in Florida and most major markets.
And now Cox Communications is doing the same thing in San Diego.
At Cox's San Diego web site, the cable operator says it has just added 19 High-Definition On Demand channels, bringing its overall HD channel total to 67 channels.
Problem is, many of those 19 On Demand channels, such as Music Choice HD and Dew Action Sports HD, offer short music videos or perhaps just a handful of programs in its HD VOD lineup. They do not offer anything close to the variety of high-def programming that's available on a 24-hour HD channel such as Discovery, HDNet, MHD and so on.
By inflating their HD channel count, Cox (and Comcast and other cable ops) are trying to keep high-def subscribers from jumping ship. But I suspect people will see right through this. If HD owners want more HD channels -- and their cable operator doesn't provide them -- they will switch providers.
Cable ops, high-def viewers want a choice in which high-def channels to watch. But they want a real choice, not 'choices.'
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NFL to Air Games In 3-D In Theaters
The high-def debut is scheduled for January.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 24, 2008) -- The National Football League next week will broadcast a regular season game in 3-D in movie theaters in three different cities, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper reports that the December 4 contest between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders will be broadcast live in 3-D to theaters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston.
The move is another sign that professional sports leagues are considering offer 3-D broadcasts in theaters and the home. The NBA has experimented with 3-D broadcasts of All-Star games and some playoff contests in select cities and NFL officials have previously said they are also interested in pursuing the technology.
"We want to demonstrate this and let people get excited about it and see what the future holds," Howard Katz, NFL senior vice president, told WSJ.
The newspaper reports that several hundred "guests" will be invited to view the broadcast at the three theaters, including officials from TV manufacturers and other CE companies. The league is clearly interested in encouraging electronics makers to produce and promote 3-D products.
Mitsubishi and Samsung are among TV makers that have introduced 3-D-capable sets, but the industry faces the difficulty of setting standards for home viewing. Some analysts believe that 3-D goggles, which are now necessary for most home viewing, will not be accepted by a wide audience.
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Analyst: Comcast Hurt by Lack Of HD Channels
The analyst says the cable operator could lose subscribers.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 23, 2008) -- In a November 13 commentary, I wrote here that Comcast's strategy to promote its HD VOD service rather than adding actual high-def channels would backfire.
"Comcast needs to get its act together and start adding some real HD channels -- or it will find it increasingly difficult to add real customers," I wrote, noting that DIRECTV and Dish Network's high-def lineups include twice as many high-def networks.
Well, Wall Street analyst Tom Eagan apparently agrees with my assessment. In an article in this week's Multichannel News, Eagen says he has lowered his fourth-quarter subscriber estimate for the nation's largest cable operator.
Why?
"Eagan believes that the decline was the result of several factors — increases in bad debt and housing foreclosures have led to involuntary churn and its lower number of HDTV channels has caused some customers to switch to satellite," Multichannel News writes.
Eagen, who works for Collins Stewart, says he believes Comcast could lose as many as 125,000 basic customers in the fourth quarter. The cable operator lost 147,000 in the third quarter, Multichannel News reports.
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Sony: Blu-ray Discs Cost Too Much
Top executive suggests that high price of movies is slowing Blu-ray's growth.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 21, 2008) -- A top Sony executive is suggesting that the high price of Blu-ray high-def discs is slowing consumer acceptance of the new home video format.
In an interview with Reuters, Stan Glasgow, president of Sony Electronics, said Blu-ray player sales will likely fall short of forecasts this year. While many analysts have said dropping player prices could spark a holiday sales rush, others have said the high price of a Blu-ray movie title will continue to damper consumer enthusiasm.
Many new Blu-ray releases are priced around $10 more than the standard-def DVD edition.
"They (movie studios) need to make money, and the packaged media (discs) is a critical way for them to make money so I understand their problems also," Glasgow told the wire service. "But I'd love to see those prices come down, as well as the price of Blu-ray players, to drive adoption."
Glasgow added that Blu-ray manufacturers will fall short of their target of selling five million Blu-ray players across the globe in 2008.
"It's not that far off of it," Glasgow said. "Maybe 10 percent off of what we had thought. It's truly one of the items that has performed well during this economic mess."
Several retailers are now selling entry-level Blu-ray players for under $200 and some officials are suggesting that the price could drop as low as $128 during the holiday shopping season.
Glasgow also said in the interview that sales of high-def sets are slowing some thanks to the sluggish economy.
"We expected the TV industry to just skyrocket this holiday season. It's going to grow, but its not skyrocketing," he said. "There are less consumers...willing to spend money. I believe 80 percent of that is just consumer confidence. They don't feel as comfortable making a major investment in a television."
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Netflix: You're Outta' Here!
The online DVD rental service is shamefully slow in delivering Blu-ray high-def discs.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 20, 2008) -- On October 30, I gave Netflix one month to get its act together.
Well, I don't have to wait any longer to see it's not going to happen.
Netflix, you're outta' here!
Yes, as a Blu-ray owner, I am discontinuing my subscription to Netflix immediately -- and I would suggest any Blu-ray enthusiast do the same. Based on my experience -- and the observations of countless TVPredictions.com readers who have sent me angry e-mails -- the online DVD rental service is painfully slow in sending new Blu-ray releases to its customers.
For those not familiar with Netflix's service, customers rent movies by placing them in Queues, a list of your rental choices. In theory, your first choice in the Queue is sent to you when you mail back a previously viewed disc.
However, time and time again, Netflix tags new Blu-ray titles such as Tropic Thunder, The Incredible Hulk and The Strangers with the dreaded "Long Wait" or "Very Long Wait" label. meaning it can take weeks before the title is mailed to you.
Swanni's mailbox rarely was filled with Blu-ray titles.
In the last three weeks, I have only been able to rent two Blu-ray releases -- The Godfather and Baraka. And I didn't get Baraka for about a week after I ordered it. (The Godfather was available immediately.)
Considering that I paid $18 a month for my Netflix subscription, which allowed me to have three different discs out at the same time, you would think that the company would work harder to get my Blu-ray choices to me in a timely fashion.
Particularly since Netflix recently began charging Blu-ray subscribers an extra $1 a month for the 'privilege' of renting high-def discs!
Okay, I understand that it costs more to make copies of Blu-ray titles. So I can also understand why Netflix faces a challenge in stocking enough Blu-ray discs for its roughly 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers.
But you would think that all those extra dollar bills each month would be dedicated to that task, wouldn't you?
However, there's no evidence that Netflix is doing anything to get more copies of Blu-ray titles. In fact, based on my experience, the Blu-ray delays have only increased since the company began charging Blu-ray owners an extra $1 a month.
So where is that money going?
Is it possible -- just possible -- that Netflix is using that extra Blu-ray revenue to further its efforts to offer streaming standard-def videos directly to the home over the Net. (The company is now offering its streaming service on the XBox 360 video game console, the Roku set-top and the LG Electronics set-top.)
Could it be that Netflix doesn't really believe in Blu-ray? That it's only using the Blu-ray audience to generate more revenue so it can launch new divisions?
Well, only time will tell. But I'm not waiting for the answers.
Starting today, I am signing up with Blockbuster Online. And in the coming weeks, I'll report back here on how it performs.
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XBox Offers HD Titles From Netflix
The list will include NBC's Heroes.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 18, 2008) -- Microsoft's XBox 360 today began streaming about 300 High-Definition program titles via a partnership with online rental service Netflix.
That's according to an article by Video Business.
In addition to the high-def titles, XBox 360 owners will be able to access more than 12,000 standard-definition titles from Netflix. The service will be free to existing Netflix subscribers.
Netflix, which delivers DVDs and Blu-ray discs via the mail, has partnered with several companies to offer its service directly to the home over high speed Internet lines. However, the XBox will be the first to offer Netflix's titles in high-def.
Other Netflix partnerships, such as a set-top from LG Electronics, only provides standard-def movies and shows. But Roku, the $99 set-top that that can deliver Netflix movies streamed from the Internet to your TV screen, says it will offer high-def programs by year's end.
Video Business reports that high-def titles available on the XBox 360 will include the NBC drama Heroes.
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Wal-Mart to Sell $128 Blu-ray Player
The set-top price will be available on Black Friday, reports say.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 19, 2008) -- Wal-Mart plans to sell a Magnavox Blu-ray player for just $128 on Black Friday, according to Home Media Magazine.
The publication, quoting a report by Bargainlist.com, a web site that monitors 'Black Friday discounts, notes that the price will be the lowest yet for the Blu-ray high-def disc player.
On November 28, the day after Thanksgiving, shoppers across America will pour into retail stores looking for 'Black Friday' bargains on everything from appliances to apparel.
Black Friday discount prices are often available for one day only, but it's unclear if Wal-Mart will keep the $128 price tag on the Magnavox unit throughout the holiday season. The retailer is now selling the player for $198 and has vowed to make its stores a 'go-to- destination for Blu-ray movies and players.
The Magnavox Blu-ray player is a Profile 1.1 unit, meaning it does not include new 'BD-Live' interactive features except for picture-in-picture.
Home Media Magazine writes that a Wal-Mart spokesperson was unavailable to comment on the report.
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Studio Execs Lower Blu-ray Sales Estimates
Most studios believed sales would hit $1 billion this year.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 16, 2008) -- Blu-ray high-def disc sales could hit the $1 billion mark this year -- and jump to $2.5 billion next year, several Hollywood studio presidents predicted last summer.
However, that was before this fall's economic crisis and studio executives are now saying that Blu-ray software sales could be as low as $650 million this year, according to Video Business.
At a press briefing on Friday, Warner Home Video President Ron Sanders said he believed that total Blu-ray software sales in 2008 will between $650 million and $800 million.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment President David Bishop offered a forecast of $750 million to $800 million. But that's still far below the $1 billion estimate that most studio executives issued last summer.
However, the executives at Friday's press briefing organized by the Blu-backing Digital Entertainment Group said the lower sales forecast is not a sign that the high-def disc is failing. Sanders said Blu-ray sales this year have already exceeded $500 million.
"The table is set for a great future,” 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment president Mike Dunn said, according to Video Business. “There might be some logs in the way now and hazy at this second with the economy. But look at the quality (of Blu-ray) and portability and accessibility. Now might be unclear, but the future is set.”
“Five million households are on the verge of adoption, and 10 million households are right behind that,” added Dunn.
The executives said roughly 10 million U.S. homes will have Blu-ray players by year's end, including Play Station 3 consoles, which have Blu-ray players inside.
Blu-ray player prices are expected to fall sharply during the holidays with several models available for less than $200.
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Commentary
Comcast Tries to Fool Florida HD Viewers
The cable operator issues a misleading press release.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 13, 2008) -- Comcast today issued a press release saying that South Florida viewers now have 1,000 'HD Choices' -- if you include both high-def channels and Video on Demand selections.
On its face, this is not particularly newsworthy. Comcast has issued similar statements nationwide in an effort to create the perception that it offers more HD content than any other TV provider.
Of course, as you know, I think the claim lacks merit because the 1,000 'HD Choices' represents almost all VOD selections, including even short music videos. In most markets, Comcast offers fewer than 40 actual HD channels (such as HBO HD, Discovery Channel HD, etc.), compared to satcasters DIRECTV and Dish Network which provide roughly 100.
By stressing its lineup of 'choices,' Comcast is trying to fool people into thinking it has as much high-def programming as its rivals. But it simply does not. A short music video or even a two-hour HD VOD movie does not compare to a 24-hour channel.
But the Florida press release goes even further in this effort to manipulate public opinion.
How?
Read this quote from Filemon Lopez, Comcast's regional senior vice president for South Florida, which appears in the second paragraph of the release:
"In January of 2004, we began offering high definition television in South Florida. At that time we offered a total of 12 channels; today, less than 4 years later, we offer more than 1,000 HD OnDemand choices -- five times more than last year!"
Sounds like Comcast has gone from 12 channels to 1,000 in four years, doesn't it?
Well, it hasn't. The truth is that Comcast offers 37 actual high-def channels in the South Florida area, including local networks. So the cable operator has actually gone from 12 HD channels to 37 HD channels in four years.
And that is pitiful.
Comcast needs to get its act together and start adding some real HD channels -- or it will find it increasingly difficult to add real customers.
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The Godfather: Best Blu-ray Disc?
The crime classic wins 'Best of Show' at yesterday's awards luncheon.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 12, 2008) -- What's the best Blu-ray high-def disc on the market?
According to the judges of the second annual High-Def Disc Awards, the answer is: The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Collection.
The boxed set, which includes all three Godfather movies on Blu-ray disc, was named 'Best of Show' and 'Best Catalog Title' at an awards luncheon held yesterday at the HD-3 conference in Los Angeles.
The High-Def Disc Awards, which are co-sponsored by Home Media Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, named Iron Man as the best theatrical Blu-ray title for the year while Transformers won for best audio quality.
Home Media Magazine reports that a panel of critics picked the winners from Blu-ray titles released between Oct. 1, 2007, and Sept. 30, 2008.
Disney's Ratatouille won for best picture quality and best animated title while Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End won for 'Best Bonus Feature.'
Here are some other awards announced yesterday, according to Home Media Magazine:
Best Overall Extras: Heroes: Season 2
Best Use of BD Live: Men in Black
Best Collection/Multidisc Set: Harry Potter: Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set,
Best Nontheatrical Blu-ray: Stargate: Continuum,
Best Nonfiction Blu-ray: Step Into Liquid
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Time Warner to Expand HD In Manhattan
The cable operator looks to compete with telco Verizon,
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 11, 2008) -- Time Warner next month will dramatically expand its high-def lineup in Manhattan and other parts of New York, adding dozens of new channels.
The cable operator promised last spring that its local systems in New York would carry 100 High-Definition channels by year's end. In recent weeks, Time Warner has added several HD channels in New York areas such as Queens, Brooklyn and Mt. Vernon.
However, according to the Time Warner web site, the cable system will significantly boost its HD lineup in Manhattan next month as well, adding dozens of new HD channels on one day.
The additions will enable Time Warner to more effectively compete with telco Verizon which has already expanded its New York HD lineup to 100 channels.
On December 17, Time Warner will add NBA TV HD, Team HD and change Versus/Golf HD to Versus HD in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Mt. Vernon.
On the same day in northern Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, Time Warner subs will get Golf HD (formerly part of Versus/Golf HD), Crime and Investigation HD, Africa Channel HD, TV One HD, G4HD, MGM HD, Chiller HD, Sleuth HD, Style HD, Fuse HD, Nick HD, Lifetime HD, CNBC HD, USA HD, SciFi HD, Bravo HD, E! HD, QVC HD, Spike HD and HSN HD.
In just northern Manhattan on December 17, the cable operator will launch Tennis HD, the Big Ten Network HD, HBO2 HD, HBO Signature HD, HBO Family HD, , HBO Comedy HD, HBO Zone HD, HBO Latino HD, More Max HD, Action Max HD, Thriller Max HD, WMAX HD, @MAX HD, FiveStar Max, Outer Max HD, Sho 2 HD, Showcase HD, Sho Extreme HD, TMC HD, TMC Xtra HD, Starz Edge HD, Starz Kids & Family HD, Starz Comedy HD
In addition, northern Manhattan subs will get Encore HD, NY1 HD, Palladia HD, Cartoon HD, FX HD, ABC Family HD on 738, History HD on 740, Fox Business News HD on 743, Fox News HD on 744, A&E HD on 746, Disney HD on 749, Learning Channel HD on 752, Toon Disney HD on 760, Lifetime Movie Network HD on 762, Biography HD on 763, Discovery HD on 766, Planet Green HD on 768, Weather Channel HD on 772, Speed HD on 774, Science Channel HD on 775, Travel Channel HD on 788, ESPN News HD on 792, ESPN U HD on 793, and Game HD.
In Mt. Vernon on December 17, Time Warner subs will get Crime & Investigation HD on 686, G4HD on 692, Golf HD on 779, Africa Channel HD on 787, TV One HD on 790, MGM HD on 796, Chiller HD on 684, Sleuth HD on 685, Style HD on 689, Fuse HD on 691, QVC HD on 724, CNBC HD on 733, Spike HD on 734, Nick HD on 739, E! HD on 741, USA HD on 742, Lifetime HD on 743, SciFi HD on 744, Bravo HD on 746, and HSN HD on 772.
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FCC Chief: NASCAR Crash Good For Digital TV
Kevin Martin says more Americans watched the accident.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 11, 2008) -- For the second straight time, a FCC-sponsored NASCAR auto, designed to promote next year's Digital TV transition, has been involved in an accident.
But FCC Chairman Kevin Martin says that's a good thing.
"Except for the cars that win the races, the cars that are in wrecks get a lot of attention," Martin told reporters Monday, according to Reuters.
Martin and the FCC have been under fire for spending $350,000 to sponsor the car which promotes a web site (DTV.gov) notifying Americans about the digital transition which takes place on February 17, 2009.
The FCC's NASCAR car goes up in flames.
The Wall Street Journal reports that watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste awarded Martin its October "Porker of the Month' trophy for “using taxpayer funds on an unnecessary project, diverting focus from more important telecommunications concerns, recklessly spending without consulting with his peers, and attempting to use his influence to shore up his own political prospects.”
Martin, who is from North Carolina and reportedly has plans to run for office there someday, chose the car driven by fellow North Carolinian David Gilliland as the FCC-sponsored vehicle. The CAG said Martin picked his home state's driver for political reasons. (The FCC chairman also chose Wilmington, North Carolina as the first test site for the nation's switch to digital.)
Martin has defended the appropriation, saying that the promotion will reach more Americans who are unaware of next February's switch to digital.
But on Sunday, a nine-car accident during a NASCAR race in Arizona caused the FCC-sponsored vehicle to be towed off the track before it could complete the race. The car also crashed last month during a race in Virginia.
In related news, Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen said yesterday that he thinks it's likely that the federal government will be forced to delay the digital transition because of a lack of preparedness.
"I've been going to Washington for a long time now and I think if the new administration comes in and if they see that consumers -- that the transition is not ready and that consumers could lose their signal -- Congress is going to go out to protect consumers (and delay the transition date.)," Ergen said.
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Dish Network Speaks Out On HD, Sub Loss
The satcaster reports a loss of 10,000 net subscribers in the third quarter.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 11, 2008) -- Dish Network yesterday reported that it loss net subscribers for the second straight quarter, sending company shares down nearly 15 percent on Monday.
In its third quarter financial report, Dish said it lost 10,000 net subscribers. The nation's second leading satcaster reported that it loss 25,000 net subscribers in the second quarter.
Dish now has 13.8 million subscribers, compared to 17 million for satellite rival DIRECTV.
Dish CEO Ergen.
In a conference call yesterday with Wall Street analysts, Dish CEO Charlie Ergen addressed several issues including the subscriber loss, the company's High-Definition offering and the ongoing legal battle with DVR maker TiVo.
Ergen on Why Dish Lost Customers:
"In today's environment...,obviously people are shopping for deals and customers are flipping around. They have a variety of choices. So we have to be a little bit careful about that. I think at some point in time you have to be willing to tread a little bit of water, based on the marketplace that's out there.
"There also is the other side of the market where people are going to downscale a little bit. So McDonald's is having really good numbers...because people can save money. So there is certainly a flight to saving money by consumers and we have to take that into consideration."
Editor's Note: (AT&T, which sells satellite TV service in areas in which it does offer its own U-Verse service, decided this year to drop Dish and sign up DIRECTV as its satellite partner.)
Ergen On Whether AT&T Partnered With DIRECTV Because Of HDTV:
(Editor's Note: AT&T, which sells satellite TV service in areas in which it does offer its own U-Verse service, decided this year to drop Dish and sign up DIRECTV as its satellite partner; some have suggested that AT&T favored DIRECTV because it offers more HD channels than Dish.)
"I don't think HD channels would have been a factor. Obviously, not only do we have materially the same amount of channels, I think we have with the next satellite launch capacity to be a leader there. So, I don't think that would be it. Obviously we had the power of incumbency, so there has to do other motivations to make a change and you would really have to just ask AT&T those questions."
Ergen on Dish's Next HD Satellite Launch:
"Hopefully, that satellite is going to go up before the end of the year and be operational early next year. So that's kind of the final launch for us to have a complete system up there and make sure we are competitive from a local-local basis both in standard definition and High Definition television, and competitive from a total channel count in terms of number of channels and number of High-Definition channels."
Ergen on Dish's New Turbo HD Package:
(Editor's Note: Dish this year began selling an HD-only programming package called Turbo HD, starting at $24.99 a month.)
"TurboHD...got us back in the HD game (and) has been successful. Obviously with the launch failure earlier in the year, we didn't have the channel count to be competitive in the marketplace. But we do today and so I think...that puts us the back in the HD game. We really weren't in the game previously. So that's a good thing."
Ergen on the TiVo Lawsuit:
(Editor's Note: Dish recently paid $100 million in damages to DVR maker TiVo for patent infringement. However, the companies are still battling over other aspects of the case.)
"As I've said in previous quarters, regardless of the ruling, we think there's things that TiVo have that we could do together but...obviously this ruling would affect somebody's position in those negotiations, let's put it that way, good or bad."
Ergen on the Digital TV Transition:
"Well, I've been going to Washington for a long time now and I think if the new administration comes in and if they see that consumers -- that the transition is not ready and that consumers could lose their signal -- Congress is going to go out to protect consumers (and delay the transition date.)
"I mean that's their job, right? And I think, look, we are ready. I hope that it's not delayed. But it won't take too many phone calls. I would do the transition a little differently. I think to do the whole country at one time is difficult. But it's more difficult than it has to be but I wouldn't be surprised (that it's delayed). I'm not betting one way or the other."
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Verizon FiOS to Carry Baseball's Extra Innings
The telco will also carry MLB's new high-def baseball channel.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2008) -- Verizon's FiOS TV service has signed an agreement with Major League Baseball to offer its MLB Extra Innings Package starting next season.
Additionally, Verizon has agreed to carry the MLB Network channel, which will launch in high-def and standard-def on January 1. The telco will carry both versions, which will be available in Verizon's Essentials and Extreme HD packages.
MLB Network, which will carry live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events, is expected to be available in 50 million homes at launch, the league said.
Verizon said it will carry up to 80 'out-of-market' baseball games via the Extra Innings package, but the telco did not reveal in today's announcement whether it will carry the package's HD games. The company and league also did not offer pricing information for the 2009 season.
However, the deal ends a year-long confusion over whether Verizon would carry the popular pay package of baseball games. The telco hinted in early 2008 that it would carry the package during the 2008 season, but never did add it, generating protests from angry baseball fans.
FiOS TV is currently available to more than 8.2 million homes in 14 states: California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
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Vudu: Now More Than 1,100 HD Movies
The set-top costs $299.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2008) -- Vudu, the VOD set-top service, now has more than 1,100 movies available in High-Definition, which it says exceeds the number of HD titles available from any other TV provider.
The Vudu set-top, which starts at $299, enables users to download movies over a high-speed Internet connection. The box, which can also store movies, includes both standard-def and HDTV films.
However, Vudu has struggled to generate interest due to competition from traditional TV services such as cable and satellite and a general 'set-top' fatigue among Americans. (In Amazon's list of best-selling electronics products, the Vudu set-top is now ranked just 15,107. By comparison, an Apple TV with 40GB hard drive is ranked #887 while an Apple TV with a 160GB hard drive is ranked #488. LG Electronics' set-top, which includes Netflix's movie service, is ranked #348.)
But Vudu hopes that the expanded HD library of films will appeal to high-def enthusiasts still hungry for more content. (Vudu offers nearly 10,000 standard-def titles as well as the high-def films.)
“We’re certainly proud to offer the largest HD library on the planet but the motivation to accomplish this really sprang from our customers, retail partners and Home Theater installation professionals, all of whom were asking for more HD content,” Edward Lichty, Vudu's executive vice president, said in a company statement.
Vudu and Best Buy are now bundling a $200 movie credit with the $299 set-top at retail.
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DIRECTV: Sub Growth Falls 35 Percent
The satcaster blames partnership gap with AT&T for loss.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 7, 2008) -- DIRECTV said yesterday that its third quarter subscriber growth fell 35 percent compared to a year ago.
In releasing its third quarter financial results, the satcaster said it added 156,000 subscribers compared to 240,000 in last year's third quarter. DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey blamed the drop-off in the discontinuation of a marketing partnership with telco AT&T. (See Swanni's commentary below.)
AT&T last year only began offering Dish Network in areas in which it does not provide its own U-Verse TV service. Previously, it offered either satellite TV service in service bundles. However, AT&T recently decided to switch back to DIRECTV as its sole third-party provider starting late this year.
"Quite simply, it’s taken us longer than we expected to mitigate the end of our AT&T bundling relationship in that area," DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey said during a conference call yesterday with Wall Street analysts. "Excluding the (AT&T) region, our net-sub growth was actually up a touch year on year."
In other issues, DIRECTV said eight million of its 17 million subscribers now get either High-Definition and/or DVR service. The company claimed it added nearly twice as many HD and DVR subscribers in the third quarter than Comcast did.
Comcast said last month that 7.3 million of its customers subscribed to High-Definition and/or Digital Video Recording packages at the end of the third quarter. (Unlike some cable and satellite providers, Comcast and DIRECTV does not break down how many subscribers have High-Definition TV and how many have Digital Video Recorders. They include both in the same category.)
Patrick Doyle, DIRECTV'S chief financial officer, said HD/DVR subscribers pay an average of $100 per month in fees.
DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey acknowledged that satellite rival Dish Network and some cable operators have improved their high-def lineups. However, he maintained that DIRECTV, which says it now offers more than 130 HD channels, is still the high-def leader.
"I'd say the cable guys and DISH have (beefed) up their HD," Carey said. "Although I think sometimes what they market and say they are doing is way ahead of what they are really doing. But in terms of impact on us, we feel great about our position in HD. I think one of the great things about establishing a position of leadership that really associates your brand with that leadership position is that those are strengths you can drive for a while, particularly if you keep finding ways to energize that position. I've said before and continue to believe, I think our position in HD leadership is one that can benefit us not for months or quarters but for years."
Carey also acknowledged that the U.S. economic slump will be a challenge in the months ahead.
"We are in a tough economy, and a competitive environment, and that is putting more pressure in a few areas like churn out and retention spending," Carey said. "Overall, I would say the impact is marginal. The strength of our business is really continuing to enable us to reach our key targets."
Commentary:
I don't doubt that DIRECTV's temporary break-up with AT&T contributed to the third quarter subscriber loss. But there is a bigger reason for why DIRECTV lost subscribers in this year's third quarter:
HDTV.
In last year's third quarter, DIRECTV ran a multi-million dollar marketing blitz alerting Americans that it was adding dozens of new High-Definition channels -- more than any other TV provider. Consequently, thousands of new people signed up for the service.
However, DIRECTV's national HD expansion has slowed to a crawl this year with the satcaster adding just a handful of new high-def channels in recent months. Consequently, DIRECTV's HD buzz has quieted, which led to fewer new subscribers signing up during this year's third quarter (and likely during this year's fourth quarter.)
When DIRECTV starts adding national high-def channels again, it will see the company's subscription numbers going up again, too.
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The FCC Probes Cable's Price Hike -- Again
The agency's chief once again blasts cable for raising monthly rates.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (November 6, 2008) -- The Federal Communications Commission has launched an investigation into whether cable companies are raising monthly prices prior to next year's Digital TV transition.
Comcast, Cablevision and other cable services have announced recently that they are raising their monthly rates by roughly 3-5 percent.
In a statement, the FCC said yesterday that it has received complaints that the cable operators are hiking monthly fees now, anticipating that many Americans will subscribe to cable in the next few months so they can continue watching television.
On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to watch television.
While FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is now citing the Digital TV transition as a reason for cable raising rates, the agency chief has annually criticized the cable industry for fee increases, although satellite services impose the same annual rate hikes. (The FCC did alert telco Verizon that it would be included in the probe of cable services.)
Over the years, Martin has threatened cable with various sanctions and probes, but has yet to take action to actually stop the increases.
The FCC chief yesterday said his agency will also look into why cable services are moving some channels into more expensive digital programming packages.
"We are asking why some companies have taken steps to require customers to pay higher cable prices after the digital switch for the same channels that they received through analog signals previously," Martin said, according to the Associated Press.
Cable operators say that the timing of the monthly pay increases is not tied to the digital transition and simply reflect the companies' need to raise rates annually to keep up with rising infrastructure costs.
As for switching channels to more expensive digital packages, cable operators say it will create more room for new services, such as High-Definition channels.
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