Two weeks ago, I wrote about the decline in television sales and how manufacturers are scratching their heads trying to figure out a way to kick-start consumer interest and get those cash registers jingling again, as the all-important 2012 holiday selling season is barely two months away.
Misery loves company. Hollywood is in a similar pickle as declining sales of movies on optical disc and increasing use of streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) are challenging revenue projections, particularly for ‘weak’ theatrical releases that could previously count on back-end physical media sales to make up revenue.
The steady decline in optical disc sales and rentals since 2005 has been well-documented by myself and other industry analysts, and has been tracked and confirmed by a number or research organizations. While it is true that Blu-ray disc sales continue to grow, they haven’t made up for the drop-off in DVD sales and rentals and are unlikely ever to do so.
What’s ‘hot’ these days is streaming and playback of movie and TV show files on portable devices. On a flight back from California last week, the passenger next to me enjoyed Battleship on an iPad, downloaded from iTunes. While making a trip to the restroom, I noticed at least ten other passengers watching video on tablets, e-readers, and even a smart phone.
From Our Sponsor
