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Movie Studio MGM Launches New Media Division

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 31, 2006 - 8:07am.
Los Angeles - Hollywood movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) this week announced the formation of a new media division, which will oversee the company's digital distribution strategy, including broadband and wireless efforts. The company named Douglas A. Lee as executive vice president in charge of the new unit. Previously, Lee founded Lee Consulting Company, and also served in executive positions at Universal Television, 20th Century Fox and HBO. "There are numerous opportunities to grow and extend the MGM brand in the new media age," said Lee. "We will look to mine the library for new opportunities and also create new productions and initiatives for the plethora of new media opportunities that currently exist, as well as plan for new and emerging possibilities."
tags: MGM | Launch | New Media Division | Movie Studio |

Report: Movie Studio Support Waning for Sony PSP Universal Media Disc

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 30, 2006 - 9:26am.
Los Angeles - Sony's Universal Media Disc (UMD) format, on which movies are sold for playback on its PSP handheld video game, is losing support among top movie studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Facing very low sales, both Paramount and Universal will likely stop releasing movies on UMD, sources told THR. "It's awful. Sales are near zilch. It's another Sony bomb," a "high-ranking executive" at Universal Studios Home Entertainment told THR. "No one's even breaking even on them," added a high-ranking executive at Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment. Studios including 20th Century Fox and Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment have also dramatically reduced the number of UMD titles they plan to release. THR noted that big retailers including Wal-Mart appear to be reducing the shelf space allotted for UMD titles. Sony, meanwhile, has seen some success on several UMD titles, and currently continues to support UMD as a movie format. "We're hoping the format's going to be reinvigorated with next-generation capability that may include living-room or normal television playback," Benjamin Feingold, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, told THR.
tags: Report | Support | Movie Studio | Waning | Sony PSP Universal Media Disc |