DVD-Video First Quarter Software Sales Soar

Hardware Sales Equally Strong With 1.18 Million Units Shipped, A 188 Percent Growth Over Last Year

14-Apr-00

Experiencing yet another record breaking quarter, an additional 1.18 million DVD-Video players were shipped to retail in the first quarter 2000 bringing the total units shipped in North America since the format's launch to nearly 6.7 million according to figures compiled by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). DVD-Video experienced a 188 percent rate of growth in the first quarter 2000 vs. the first quarter 1999 - shipping 772,000 more hardware units than shipped in the first quarter 1999. If growth continues at this rate, there could be as many as 11 million DVD-Video players shipped to retailers in North America this calendar year. ""Yet again, we are seeing the consumer desire for DVD-Video's high quality video and amazing surround sound,"" said Emiel N. Petrone, Chairman, DVD Entertainment Group, and Executive Vice President, Philips Entertainment Group, Worldwide. ""The home theatre is today's hot new trend and DVD-Video is leading that charge. It continues to be the fastest-growing consumer electronics product ever introduced."" Available to consumers for nearly three years, the DVD-Video installed base in North America (United States and Canada) has reached nearly 6.5 million players. According to the DVD Entertainment Group, the total installed base is expected to reach more than 12 million by year-end. There are now nearly 70 DVD-Video player models marketed under 30 different consumer electronics brands. DVD-Video players are widely available at mass merchants, electronics specialty stores, over the Internet and many other locations throughout the United States. Software Sales Reaching New Heights According to figures compiled by Ernst & Young on behalf of the DVD Entertainment Group, nearly 30 million DVD movies and music videos shipped in the first three months of 2000. This figure represents a 200 percent increase over the number of titles shipped in the same quarter last year. Since the format's launch in 1997, software shipments have reached more than 160 million units, according to the DVD Entertainment Group. As earlier predicted by the DVD Entertainment Group, the industry is on target to double its 1999 sales by shipping at least 200 million DVD movies and music videos this year, representing $4 billion in revenue for the retailers selling DVD-Video, approximately half of the total revenue generated from the VHS sell-through. ""Consumers are seeing the huge success of DVD-Video with the vast amount of titles becoming available, and they are asking for more,"" said Paul Culberg, President, DVD Entertainment Group, and Executive Vice President - Worldwide, Columbia TriStar Home Video. ""With growing convergence of DVD and game technology, we will see an even greater number of family and children's titles on the market with exciting interactive and educational features. We are truly seeing the studios embrace the nearly endless possibilities offered by the DVD format."" With all the major movie studios and music labels supporting the DVD-Video format, there are nearly 6,000 titles now available. The DVD Entertainment Group predicts that number to grow to more than 8,500 by the end of 2000. The DVD Entertainment Group is a Los Angeles, California-based, industry-funded nonprofit corporation that exists expressly to promote consumer awareness of the benefits of DVD-Video, DVD-Audio and DVD-ROM based games, and to provide updated information to the media and the retail trade about DVD players, movies and music videos. Regular members of the DVD Entertainment Group are Artisan Entertainment, BMG Entertainment, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Columbia TriStar Home Video, DreamWorks Home Entertainment, EMI Recorded Music, Image Entertainment, Kenwood USA Corporation, MGM Home Entertainment, New Line Home Video, Onkyo USA Corporation, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, Paramount Home Video, Philips Consumer Electronics Company, Pioneer Electronics (USA), ProScan, RCA, Sharp Electronics, Sony Electronics, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Wonder, Toshiba America Consumer Products, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Universal Studios Home Video, USA Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video and Warner Music Group. Associate members are Alpha Enterprises, Americ Disc, Cinram, California Video Center, Crest National, Disc Graphics, Panasonic Disc Services Corporation, Pioneer Video Manufacturing, Sony Disc Manufacturing, Sony Pictures DVD Center, Technicolor and Warner Advanced Media Operations. Interested consumers can reach the DVD Entertainment Group at 310 967 2953, via e-mail at getinfo@dvdinformation.com or through its Web site at www.dvdinformation.com.

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