Warner's Noonan denies Blu-ray exclusive

[Porfie]

This site seems to very pro HD-DVD so take this article with a grain of salt

http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/13/w...which-is-nice/

[Armodka]

well how sure is it that warner is going to make an announcment. wasn't it just a rumor??

[richard lichtenfelt]

If they do announce blu-ray exclusivity it won't be to engadget or anyone else via their email.
They will announce it at a large event or, at the very least, a press conference.
WB: Well, we were waiting for CES to announce it, but since you asked so nicely in your email.
BUY WB MOVIES NOW! DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I AM REPEATING THE WORDS OF PENTON-MAN.
DO IT, DO IT NOW.

[Jack]

Hmm, looks like damage control to me. This is typical PR before the big bang.
A "deny" does sound different. To me this is more confirmation, that something is in the works.

[Armodka]

i've bought like 10 WB blu-rays this past week, im outta cash right now!!

[sacredchao]

I'd really like to get the rest of the Kubricks, but christmas is killing my pocket book right now. Hopefully I'll get some gift certificates that can be turned into shiny plastic disks.

[Iron Man]

well of course he does........

anything else would be a confirmation of the rumor...

[JimboTHX1138]

Engadget is pro-DUD. This is definetley damage control. They are making out that this is a new statement, when in reality it is the same comments uttered by Noonan last time this rumour was around. I posted this yesterday in the Warners rumor thread.

Just look at the similarities and tell me that these pro-DUD websites aren't re-hashing the same story from last time. I don't think Warners has said anything this time. Something is in the works.

Comments from last time:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1135
"I can tell you that Warner's position has not changed, and I know that Dan did not intend to suggest that wasn't the case. We support both formats and we have made no decision to alter that policy, nor are there any such announcements coming, or being planned."

"Like any major company, we are always reviewing our strategies in every aspect of our business, it is what smart companies do. I can't say what may happen five, ten years down the line. But right now, Warner Bros. has made no decision to change course. We are still onboard with both formats, and will continue [with a strong line-up of new releases and catalog titles], just as we have in the past in supporting HD DVD and Blu-ray."

Allegedly new comments:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/13/w...which-is-nice/
"We have made no decision to change our present policy which is to produce in both HD DVD and Blu-ray."

http://www.current.com.au/2007/12/12...EMPTGCOKS.html
“Our position hasn’t changed and certainly any comments that were published in the US were not intended to suggest that we had changed our stance. We support both formats and we have not made any decision towards that policy and nor are any such announcements planned or in the pipeline,”

“In terms of the short-term scenarios around the Q4 sales results, Warner Brothers are always reviewing our strategies and we can’t say what might happen in five or ten years, but for now, there’s been no decision made to change course.”


Awfully familiar and suspicious IMO.

[X400]

isnt this an older quote... it was a reply to that blu-ray exhibition in Cali a month+ ago where the Warner Exec made comments that people thought implied warner exclusivity




edit: sorry for being somewhat vague but i cant remember what that blu-ray fest was and who made the comments + im too lazy to find out exactly what it was :P

[Ispoke]

This is what started all the rumours.....from October at the 'Blu-ray Festival'

Also there was Dan Silverberg, VP of high-definition media for Warner Home Video, which since Paramount’s move to the HD DVD camp is the only studio to support both next-generation formats.

That may not be for long, Silverberg said. “One thing that may be changing is our strategy,” he said. “When both formats launched and hardware prices were high, we made a decision to support both formats and let the consumer decide. But now that hardware pricing is affordable for both Blu-ray and HD DVD, it appears consumers no longer want to decide — so the notion of staying in two formats for the duration is something we are re-evaluating now that we are in the fourth quarter.”

Silverberg noted that Warner has the top-selling Blu-ray title of all time with 300 and is consistently No. 1 or No. 2 in both Blu-ray sales market share and in number of Blu-ray titles in the market.

“We can definitely talk Blu-ray,” he said. “We are committed to the format.”

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by Porfie

This site seems to very pro HD-DVD so take this article with a grain of salt

http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/13/w...which-is-nice/

Do they give an actual source of this information? No they do not it just seems to be another website quoting that Lindich e-mail again even though they don't come out and say it. Probably just an ommission on their part.

[Blu Titan]

I tell you guys what that comment says: IT dosen't really say anything

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

I tell you guys what that comment says: IT dosen't really say anything

Exactly. All she said was that they've made no decision to change their currently neutral stance.... well OF COURSE NOT! They won't until the new year.

[Proteus]

This isn't a quote to Engadget. In fact, the way they posted it sounds more like a rumor.

In fact, wait... didn't a HDDVD fan recently post a email response he got when he emailed this VP on highdefdigest and this is all that VP responded to his email with? Oh wait! Yes, yes it is... In fact, it is the _exact_ same quote this _one_ random anonymous internet person posted they received back in response to their email inquiry!

This article means nothing.

Move along.

[dragons lair]

This is what DVDtown has to say about this-

Warner Bros.: We have no plans to support Blu-ray exclusively

One again Warner Bros. has to comment on rumors or now on what looks like wishful thinking by Blu-ray fans.

Last week rumors started to flurish about Warner Bros. wanting to drop support of HD DVD and only release their movies in HD on Blu-ray beginning sometime next year.

Don Lindich writes on his blog that he got in touch with Jim Noonan, Warner Bros. Senior Vice President and General Manager, for clarification.

Once again Warner responded "We have made no decision to change our present policy which is to produce in both HD DVD and Blu-ray."

Recent figures showed that Warner's neutral standpoint in the HD format war had earned them a 36% market share of all HD discs sold (HD DVD and Blu-ray.) By far the biggest numbers by any HD studio.

Perhaps neutral IS the correct way to go.

http://www.dvdtown.com/news/warner-b...clusively/4999

[Jack]

it begins...Damage Control.

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by dragons lair

This is what DVDtown has to say about this-

Warner Bros.: We have no plans to support Blu-ray exclusively

One again Warner Bros. has to comment on rumors or now on what looks like wishful thinking by Blu-ray fans.

Last week rumors started to flurish about Warner Bros. wanting to drop support of HD DVD and only release their movies in HD on Blu-ray beginning sometime next year.

Don Lindich writes on his blog that he got in touch with Jim Noonan, Warner Bros. Senior Vice President and General Manager, for clarification.

Once again Warner responded "We have made no decision to change our present policy which is to produce in both HD DVD and Blu-ray."

Recent figures showed that Warner's neutral standpoint in the HD format war had earned them a 36% market share of all HD discs sold (HD DVD and Blu-ray.) By far the biggest numbers by any HD studio.

Perhaps neutral IS the correct way to go.

http://www.dvdtown.com/news/warner-b...clusively/4999

It annoys me when I read stuff like that in articles.... Anyone with a brain knows that when this war ends the sales of titles will increase exponentially. It's in everyones best interest (studios and end consumer) for this war to end.

[Blu-Style]

they can´t announce to go Blu-ray exclusively before Christmas...

2008...the truth is coming....

[JackStraw]

Originally Posted by glenn22

It annoys me when I read stuff like that in articles.... Anyone with a brain knows that when this war ends the sales of titles will increase exponentially. It's in everyones best interest (studios and end consumer) for this war to end.

Most importantly Warner knows that as well.

[SpikesBluBlooded]

This is pretty much going to be debated until the official announcement. The difference in the two camps, though, is that we have Blu-ray insiders that, by saying that they can't say anything, are implying that something is in the works. This, vs. the Red camp's regurgitating the same canned response from Warner's corporate offices.

There have been numerous rumors, started by Warner themselves, no less; BDA insiders are saying that they can't say anything; and major news sources (not internet fan sites) are reporting an emminent decision to go Blu-ray exclusive, with what will be, as of tomorrow, a full week without any response from Warner's corporate offices. It was about this time when they came out and publicly denied the rumors last time, yet have continued to remain silent this time. And this time it's not just buzz around the internet, but around major news sources as well.

You would have to be in a complete state of denial to think that something isn't happening with Warner. Whether or not it comes to pass is another story altogether, but something is definitely in the works, and I think it's safe to say it's a lot more than just "talking" at this stage.