| BLU-RAY NEWS | Receive Blu-ray News via RSS |  |
Netflix CEO Urges Studios to Support Both HD-DVD, Blu-Ray
Tue Apr 25, 2006 at 02:21 PM ETTags: High-Def Disc Rentals, Netflix (all tags)
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is reaching out to all of the major Hollywood studios
in an effort to
bring an end to the high-def DVD format war.Video Business reports that during the company's first-quarter earnings conference call Monday, Hastings encouraged the studios to release their movie libraries on both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray to make consumers feel comfortable enough to upgrade from standard DVD, or risk leaving both next-gen formats dead in the water.
"Protracted competition will hurt the adoption of high-definition DVD," Hastings reportedly said. "If all studios were to embrace both formats agnostically, consumers would be more comfortable making a format decision based on hardware pricing and features."
He also urged the studios to follow the example set by Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Entertainment, who are supporting both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, which Hastings called a "practical solution" to the high-def DVD stand-off.
Hastings comments come one month after Netflix announced they would offer their customers the option of renting both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray titles. The service added HD-DVD rentals concurrent with the format's launch last week, and is planning to add Blu-Ray titles when its first disc titles are expected to arrive next month from Sony.
- Related links:
- Hastings Urges End to High-Def War [Video Business]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Netflix Adds HD-DVD Rentals (Mar 13, 2006)
» High-Def Digest home page
