Warner Home Video Expands Music DVD Category Via New Strategic Alliance With Eagle Rock Entertainment

13-Jun-02

Eagle Rockís ìJanet Jackson: Live In Hawaiiî Is First Of Top-Flight Concert Videos To Launch Warner Home Video Into Exploding New DVD SegmentIn a strategic move to develop, acquire and distribute music DVDs - one of the fastest growing entertainment formats - Warner Home Video (WHV) has announced a dynamic new partnership with the industryís premiere programmer of live concert performances, Eagle Rock Entertainment (ERE).The joint announcement was made here today by executives of both companies at a special press conference at the House of Blues. The alliance is the first of several strategic partnerships WHV has developed with music DVD content providers to help open up the great potential of the burgeoning music DVD category.Live concert music DVDs are currently the second largest special interest DVD category after TV episodics. In addition to superior picture and Dolby 5.1 sound, music DVDs include all the bonus features now commonplace for movies released on DVD.WHV plans an aggressive new rollout of top-talent releases that will utilize the same sales and marketing muscle that has made WHV the current total market share leader as well as the leader in three special interest categories: documentary, TV episodic and large format film.The first title under the new WHV/ERE deal will be the September 3rd release of ìJanet Jackson: Live In Hawaii,î the four-time Grammy winnerís spectacular Hawaiian HBO concert from her sold-out ìAll For You Tour.îìIn partnering with WHV, a variety of recording artists can benefit from WHV sales, distribution and marketing expertise within the DVD format,î said Doug Wadleigh, WHV vice president, special interests. ìEagle Rock Entertainment has proven to be the leading producer of live concerts from top recording artists around the world. Their titles, lead by Janet at her dazzling best, will give us a big jump in our plan to strategically enter this category.îGeoff Kempin, COO of Eagle Rock Entertainmentís visual activities worldwide said, ìAs we continue to produce and acquire top flight music and special interest DVD programming, this partnership brings phenomenal marketing, sales and distribution depth and reach to selected titles in the U.S.îìWe have some great titles in the pipeline,î Jeff Baker, General manager of Eagle Rockís DVD and Home Video in the U.S., said, ìwhere the match of music repertoire and special interest will be an especially strong fit with Warner Home Video.îEagle Rock Entertainment is a leading supplier of music-based visual programming which the company develops, acquires and produces for television, pay-per-view, home video, DVD and broadband Internet distribution on a worldwide basis. Eagle Rock Entertainment releases include live concerts and documentaries featuring top music artists on a worldwide basis. Eagle Rock Entertainment, Inc., Eagle Vision and Eagle Eye Media are wholly-owned divisions of Eagle Rock Entertainment Limited.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 Videoís 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, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.