Paramount's HD DVD exclusivity not for 18 months after all?

[BluDrew]

Saw in another forum an interview that PC World did with the CTO of Paramount Studios, Alan Bell. He essentially says at the end that their commitment to HD DVD is indefinite:

PCW: Will this exclusive period extend for a limited time, or is this an indefinite arrangement?

Bell: At this moment in time, it's an indefinite commitment. The core of this announcement comes from our experience, and what our consumers are looking for. We hope this will influence consumers' choices.

What does this mean? No Blu-ray support ever???

[cajmoyper]

I've been 'neutral' but still a little more partial to HD since I got my tv. But the more I think about it, the more I'm tilting more towards Blu. There was no reason for them to do this. They just screwed millions of people. HD DVD is just playing dirty now.

[WickyWoo]

Bell is an HD DVD pundit, take what he says with a grain of salt

[shadowmoon]

Remember, hes on record saying all these things. The tips that NY Times got is anonymous. Thats a HUGE difference. Bell has to be held accountable by the HD DVD group for every word that hes saying. If he slips up for any reason and violates the contract, he'll be in a world of hurt. At this point, HD DVD group (I now include Paramount when I refer to them) is just doing damage control from the public outcry for the bribe and showing a united front against BD. Until NY Times retracts their article, I wont believe anything else put out by the HD DVD group

[aristotles]

Is there any way people who made preorders can sue Viacom?

What about the special promotions Blockbuster had with Paramount titles and a contest?

[Jamh]

What do you expect? They're HD-DVD mouthpieces now. I love that line about what "consumers are looking for" when all their movies sell double on the Blu-ray.

[ReduxInflux]

Originally Posted by BluDrew

Saw in another forum an interview that PC World did with the CTO of Paramount Studios, Alan Bell. He essentially says at the end that their commitment to HD DVD is indefinite:

PCW: Will this exclusive period extend for a limited time, or is this an indefinite arrangement?

Bell: At this moment in time, it's an indefinite commitment. The core of this announcement comes from our experience, and what our consumers are looking for. We hope this will influence consumers' choices.

what OUR consumers are looking for?? ha! who are these people? what caves do they live in?

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by BluDrew

Saw in another forum an interview that PC World did with the CTO of Paramount Studios, Alan Bell. He essentially says at the end that their commitment to HD DVD is indefinite:

PCW: Will this exclusive period extend for a limited time, or is this an indefinite arrangement?

Bell: At this moment in time, it's an indefinite commitment. The core of this announcement comes from our experience, and what our consumers are looking for. We hope this will influence consumers' choices.

What does this mean? No Blu-ray support ever???

Disturbia?! Shooter?! Any other title that Paramount have released in both formats has sold considerably more on blu-ray! What consumers want is blu-ray!

Dammit!!!!

[BluDrew]

Originally Posted by shadowmoon

Remember, hes on record saying all these things. The tips that NY Times got is anonymous. Thats a HUGE difference.

But wouldn't the flip side of that be that anyone could call up the NYT claiming to be someone high up at Paramount and say just about anything "anonymously"? I'm not sure if I'd give more credence to an anonymous statement over an official, public statement, especially when the other side needs to go into 'damage control' overdrive to try and downplay this as much as possible??

[MrBogey]

On the bright side, this will create a run on remaining Paramount discs and as a final farewell they'll sell more on Blu-ray than HD DVD for a final week.

Robert Zohn is shameful for his conduct in this war. He shames his father. He shames his name. He shames his partners. A more honorable man would have committed sepuku rather than post drunkenly and shame himself.

[Jamh]

Originally Posted by BluDrew

But wouldn't the flip side of that be that anyone could call up the NYT claiming to be someone high up at Paramount and say just about anything "anonymously"? I'm not sure if I'd give more credence to an anonymous statement over an official, public statement, especially when the other side needs to go into 'damage control' overdrive to try and downplay this as much as possible??

Actually, the information came from Viacom executives who spoke to NYT on condition of anonymity. I highly doubt they would print something like that from a completely anonymous source.

[The Don]

"at this moment in time" is pretty much morse code for "yes...but I can't say that because sales may not impact the same way if people knew"

remember when people asked about the PS3 price drop and the response was along the lines of "we don't have a price drop planned at this point in time"

so yeah....it's 18 months..

[sj001]

I think in 18 months we all (hopefully) will have a good idea how this whole situation will pan out... maybe much sooner.

[BluDrew]

Originally Posted by Jamh

Actually, the information came from Viacom executives who spoke to NYT on condition of anonymity. I highly doubt they would print something like that from a completely anonymous source.

True, but I don't know. It all sounds so dubious to me.

[BillCable]

Originally Posted by The Don

"at this moment in time" is pretty much morse code for "yes...but I can't say that because sales may not impact the same way if people knew"

Exactly... you can't expect them to come out and say "Microsoft gave us a pile of cash to get us to release on HD-DVD for the next 18 months... after that we'll be back with Blu-ray, baby!" Even though that's exactly what they'll be doing.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Jamh

Actually, the information came from Viacom executives who spoke to NYT on condition of anonymity. I highly doubt they would print something like that from a completely anonymous source.

The New York Times is one of the more respected newpapers on the planet, having won countless awards for journalism. They certainly would not print statements from any Tom, Dick or Harry who calls and I'm amazed (well, not really) that the OP would suggest such a thing. Mr. Bell is the man with an agenda, having just received a very, very large check.

[scragham]

Originally Posted by BluDrew

But wouldn't the flip side of that be that anyone could call up the NYT claiming to be someone high up at Paramount and say just about anything "anonymously"? I'm not sure if I'd give more credence to an anonymous statement over an official, public statement, especially when the other side needs to go into 'damage control' overdrive to try and downplay this as much as possible??

it's certainly happened that reputable news organizations have been burned by things like this, but it's usually the oddball rogue reporter who made up sources.

in general, it's pretty unlikely that the NYT and WSJ (because the WSJ also reported this) would accept something as vague as, for example, me calling their office from a pay phone and saying through a voice distorter, "hey guys, the HD DVD promo group paid paramount $150 million dollars, i know, i'm an important source in viacom that wants to stay anonymous!!!!"

it seems far more likely that the reporters in question have contacts in the various companies that they asked for off the record remarks from.

there's a big difference between candid, honest comments that often have to be made anonymously versus the official stance on things.

[IamNhobdy]

Originally Posted by The Don

"at this moment in time" is pretty much morse code for "yes...but I can't say that because sales may not impact the same way if people knew"

remember when people asked about the PS3 price drop and the response was along the lines of "we don't have a price drop planned at this point in time"

so yeah....it's 18 months..

And Disney/BuenaVista denied plans for Bad Santa & Lost season 3 a month or so before announcing those titles officially.

I'm just gonna keep buying Blu like I have been(because the CONSUMER is in charge, damn it!) and the studios are going to want my money and yours, if not now, then soon. I can keep my money longer than they can wait to get it. And I can redirect MY support just as easily as they can.

[rondanto]

blockbuster is a viacom company.Does that mean no blu ray at Blockbuster?

[supersix4]

I also feel like sony exc. come xmas should bust out a new 1080p blu-ray player around 299 maybe thats asking way to much but that would surrrrre stick it to them