Retail Singing About Blu

[Marwin]

Retail Singing About Blu

The tide appears to be turning blue — as in Blu-ray Disc — now that Warner Home Video has become the fifth major studio to join the Blu-ray Disc Association.

And retailers — who have been vocal in the past about needing a single high-def format — are cautiously optimistic now that there seems to be a clear frontrunner.

“My assumption [with Blu-ray] is that the studios have done the due diligence to make sure they are coming to market with the best possible product for the next-generation DVD,” said Gary Arnold, SVP Entertainment at Best Buy. “What appears to be happening is a unification of sorts between the two formats instead of just causing turmoil with the consumer.”

Kevin Cassidy, EVP of retail stores at Tower Records and Video, said he’s glad a dominant player has emerged.

“The HD [DVD] camp is defensive, and the Blu-ray camp is confident,” he said. “They, at least, feel confident to address issues from tech, retail and the studios.”

Todd Zaganiacz, owner of Video Zone in South Deerfield, Mass., and head of the National Entertainment Buying Group, a consortium of 100 independent retailers, agreed Blu-ray is looking strong.

“Blu-ray is coming out of the gate with more support than HD [DVD] has at this point,” he noted. “I wouldn’t say that HD is dead yet, but it is certainly looking like HD might be a passenger on the Titanic.”