Graffeo to leave high-def post at Universal

[Gremal]

I see a lot of folks saying "Graffeo was paid to do a job". That job was to head up the hi def business of Universal home video. Putting all the studio's eggs in the HD DVD basket was not good business, let alone the drug-pusher mentality he adopted in promoting HD DVD and in ignoring the increasingly good news about Blu-ray's inroads and achievements (installed base/market share/disc sales). Graffeo's job as head of the HD DVD promotional group was obviously a blatant conflict of interests. After that he had no chance of making decisions in the best interests of Universal.

One would expect an executive looking at different technologies to be able to pick a winner and get behind it. Graffeo couldn't. He did a lot of harm to Universal's HD group and he did harm to us consumers. I can't say I'm sorry to see him go.

[savage1984]

man, i just finished reading through that link with lee stewart. holy cow. that man has problems and so do the rest of its followers.
this is probably the most civil web forum dealing with hi-def i've ever come across. I started at avs before I knew what was good for me. Then i noticed Talkstr8's posts. I started just following what he said because I couldn't stand reading through all the mess that amir wrote. It didn't take but a few posts to realize all the FUD being spread there. ah well, blu-ray.com seems to be untouched. That's why it's so fun.

[marzetta7]

Originally Posted by Gremal

I see a lot of folks saying "Graffeo was paid to do a job". That job was to head up the hi def business of Universal home video. Putting all the studio's eggs in the HD DVD basket was not good business, let alone the drug-pusher mentality he adopted in promoting HD DVD and in ignoring the increasingly good news about Blu-ray's inroads and achievements (installed base/market share/disc sales). Graffeo's job as head of the HD DVD promotional group was obviously a blatant conflict of interests. After that he had no chance of making decisions in the best interests of Universal.

One would expect an executive looking at different technologies to be able to pick a winner and get behind it. Graffeo couldn't. He did a lot of harm to Universal's HD group and he did harm to us consumers. I can't say I'm sorry to see him go.

My thoughts exactly. I don't like anyone to lose their job, but Graffeo obviously made many wrong choices concerning HD DVD. Moreover, he did so with the mindset of giving the consumer the less future proof and less advanced format, while attempting to pad manufacturers pockets with HD DVDs smaller production costs. I know he was trying to do what was in his mind, in the best interest of the company, but to short change the consumer, you'll more than likely get screwed. And on top of that, when you go against what the majority of the industry is doing, you get screwed again. All around, he's screwed, and I can't say I feel really sorry for him--it was self inflicted.

[Sonny]

I when I read KG is a 'good' CEO or what ever, I seem to remember some other type of Hi Def format that he pushed , & it failed & so did HE

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Although I personally don't want him having anything to do with Universal's upcoming journey into the world of Blu, I do think it is quite sad that the man is childish enough to not consider it himself. The transition on his part would be so simple. Regardless of the format, Blu-ray or HD DVD, they are similar enough for marketing reasons. The only thing he'd have to come to terms with in order to do the job is take 10 minutes to learn about AVC, PCM, and DTS HD.

I am grateful though that he isn't heading up the Blu-ray merketing. But, I do think that his statement about not wanting anything to do with the format shows a bigger part of his character than anything has before.

[Blu Haze]

Originally Posted by pokerface

Good night and Good luck Mr. Graffeo.

Somehow I doubt he will have to eat hot dogs every night.

Probably makes more than you for doing the HD DVD Promo group. Why the hate. He ran what he was supposed how would u feel if you were him and couldnt be a BD promo man?

[ra1024]

I would have had no problem with Ken or any others on the Red side if they had simply competed against Blu with any sort of integrity. The constant half truths and blatant distortion of facts caused me to despise them. I think this is a fantastic ending to the war that should have never been.

Sylin's right, if Ken had been a good exec, he would have seen where this was going a long time ago and steered Uni in the right direction. Now they're in a position where they're dead last amongst the major studios in the transition to high def.

[bajor27]

I don't feel bad when these corporate stooges loose their jobs. He probably made more than enough in his time with Universal.

Good riddance!!!

[Brian Cash]

Originally Posted by JasonR

http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=68882

I told Lee, don't care if I get banned.

that is hilarious there really drilling you a new a$$ good job long live blu

[Neo65]

Originally Posted by JasonR

http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=68882

I told Lee, don't care if I get banned.

Waste of time. Just leave 'em alone and we can all get along, even with the ones who were wrong and too obtuse to recognize that it's done.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by Sylin

I'm with you on this one. Well said. Everyone talks about what a talented executive he is, but in reality, and no offense to anyone, and with all humility, very few people know exactly what it means to be a great exec. (I've been on the board of a large corporation. Many of my friends and colleagues are C-levels. I speak from experience.) If he was SO talented and SO competent, he would have left the HDDVDPG on his own months ago and defected to Blu, recognizing, like the rest of the industry did, that it was going nowhere. But he'd never do that, because he honestly believed the propaganda he spread. He went above and beyond "doing the job" in the spin department--it was all a lot of talk. But in the productivity department--where REAL executives thrive--he was lackluster and incompetent.

One could argue that he stayed for the money, but I am telling you: in the executive world, you live or die by reputation. Money is a non-issue for most execs. And nothing kills a career worse than blindly attaching yourself to a product or company, with no smart exit strategy should things turn south. Graffeo made himself the poster boy for HD DVD, and he'll be "paying" for that for years to come.

It was alot of talk, and it made him look like a complete retard.

As of what was it? A month or two before the Warner defection he was still shooting his mouth off about how HD-DVd was the best choice for customers?

He flushed his reputation down the tubes quite awhile ago IMO and I say good riddance.

Logan

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by marzetta7

My thoughts exactly. I don't like anyone to lose their job, but Graffeo obviously made many wrong choices concerning HD DVD. Moreover, he did so with the mindset of giving the consumer the less future proof and less advanced format, while attempting to pad manufacturers pockets with HD DVDs smaller production costs. I know he was trying to do what was in his mind, in the best interest of the company, but to short change the consumer, you'll more than likely get screwed. And on top of that, when you go against what the majority of the industry is doing, you get screwed again. All around, he's screwed, and I can't say I feel really sorry for him--it was self inflicted.

I'm in total agreement here.

Furthermore, I'm wondering if he got paid at HD-DVD headquarters AND at Universal Studios essentially twice for spewing the same garbage.

Logan

[sj001]

All water under the bridge at this point. Ken G is moving on, I hope his future positions are brighter, this one was definitely a sore point for many people.

The FUD crew (Lee Stewart, Kosty, Rdjam, etc.), really, really need to find something better to do. I just can't help but shake my head when I read their posts, what a sad lot they are.

[UKTruBlu]

Its sad to know they are still going on about their hatred of Blu. But satisfying to know that they will have to adopt Blu in order to increase their HD collection.

They all have a price and will sell to it soon.

Long live Blu.

[STI Jaguar]

In hindsight and reality, Gaffeo as a Universal CEO, was a complete disaster. End of story.

Hope he learns something from this as a life's lesson.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by FriedEggs

As for "crazyal", I think his argument little merit, if any at all.

I could see this happening here. I know I've, at times, felt inferior because some people had said things like "a 40in sounds kind of small" or "everyone knows lossless audio is better than..." no, not everyone knows that...

However, crazyal follows up that comment with:

I cannot see that happening here. What I can see happening is that people who were insulting or beligerant ended up with "Banned" next to their name. It's a public forum, and respect to the opinions of others should be paid. Period.

Crazy Al is fully of shit. I have a 1080i TV and I'm not banned. For a long time, Jonalan was Purple and never got banned for it. So was BTBuck. Anyone who got banned from here broke a rule: either they spread misinformation, flung insults, or otherwise misbehaved. I've even checked post histories in search of reasons, and found a valid one every time. It's funny how LS claims Blu fans shouldn't be allowed on "red" boards out one side of his mouth, yet condones his own trolling out the other, and still has the nerve to wonder why he's hated and no one worth the paper they're printed on believes him.

In short, anyone who stereotypes this board is only revealing things true about themselves, not us.

[kolasi]

Originally Posted by cartman781

About time

agreed.

[blu2]

Originally Posted by STI Jaguar

In hindsight and reality, Gaffeo as a Universal CEO, was a complete disaster. End of story.

He wasn't a CEO.

[The Don]

wow, god forbid they let their points stand up for themselves...

the mere thought of BD.com seems to cause them to froth at the mouth and go insane...

I can understand the fact that they hate this site, but they hate it for all the wrong reasons...

I mean they just sound very bitter over this war and Lee Stewart is only proving that his post here about over a month ago was just a ruse and that he's still extremely bitter about how this war ended so quickly...

I don't even care, because the war is over....but it's hilarious to see some of them say that this website makes them not want to purchase Blu-ray products when this site has no relation to the product and is not an Official Blu-ray website...

..pathetic..

[BoogalooShrimp]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.