Warner Home Video Announces Outstanding DVD-Video First Quarter European Sales Results, Sony Europe Estimates DVD-Video Player Sales Have Outpaced U.S. Sales

15-May-00

Warner Home Video and Sony Europe jointly announced European hardware sales for first quarter of 2000 for the DVD-Video market. Sony Europe estimates that DVD hardware units shipped to dealers in the first quarter of 2000 exceeded 425,000 units, a 310 percent increase over the same period in 1999 with 105,000 units. Figures for the comparable time period in the U.S. one year earlier were 411,000 units in the first quarter of 1999, a 287 percent increase over the first quarter of 1998ís 106,000 units. According to Sony Europe, actual DVD shipments to the trade for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000 will aggregate 5,840,000 million players. During the first three years after their respective launches VCR sales totaled 855,000 and CD player sales were 1,120,000. Thus, the DVD in a comparable time frame is performing approximately seven times higher than the VCR and five times higher than CD, making it the fastest growing new packaged media format launch in history. ""DVD-Video has become the 'must-have' consumer electronic product in Europe,"" said Domingo Jaumandreu, Vice President, Sony Home Network Company Europe. ""Building on the success from last year in many countries, and with this year's high-visibility campaign from Sony and Warner, we expect to accelerate DVD-Video's penetration significantly in Europe."" ""The hardware and software sales rates overwhelmingly substantiate the success of DVD as a global phenomenon,"" said Warren Lieberfarb, President of Warner Home Video and considered by many in the industry as the ""Architect of DVD."" ""Consumers in Europe have embraced this new format for its high resolution digital video and superior audio as well as its high value content and convenience. We anticipate revenues from new releases and catalog to grow significantly over the coming year,"" he added. Sony manufactures audio, video, communications and information technology products for the global consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, game and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to become a leading broadband network company in the 21st century. In Europe, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of close to EUR 14.42 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000. Sony Europe, headquartered at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany, is responsible for the company's European electronics business and registered consolidated sales of close to EUR 8.50 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000. Sony Europe's home page can be found at http://www.sony-europe.com. With operations in 78 international territories - more than the video division of any other studio - Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company and HBO Home Video. Source: Warner Home Video and Sony Europe

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