Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Posts Increase in Blu-Ray Sales Among Emerging Markets

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Posts Increase in Blu-Ray Sales Among Emerging Markets

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) today announced an increase in total Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) sales across six emerging markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East -- illuminating the positive reception from retailers and consumers for the new high-definition format since its launch just four months ago in April 2007.

Since April, Blu-ray Disc sales have accounted for 10% of SPHE's business in the regions. The company saw a 21% increase in BD orders across the month of June alone. "It is extremely positive to see an increase in volume of BD software sales in these markets where piracy has previously ravaged the DVD business," said T. Paul Miller, Senior Vice President, International, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

SPHE is the only studio to have licensed high-definition Blu-ray Disc content for local distribution in many of these markets and new partners are coming on line every month. "This news underscores not only the demand for premium content in these markets, but also the need for a home entertainment format with an impenetrable content protection system like Blu-ray's," added Matt Brown, Executive Vice President, International, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Among top-selling BD titles from SPHE in these regions are Casino Royale, Ghost Rider, Open Season, Kung Fu Hustle, Black Hawk Down, XXX and Stealth. South Africa accounts for the largest share of Blu-ray Disc sales, with more than 15,000 units shipped to date.

About Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital contest creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 73 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.

   For further information contact:    Claire McKittrick, SPHE, Worldwide Publicity, +1 310 244 4722,   claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com    Jason Allen, SPHE, Worldwide Publicity, + 1 310 244 3502,   jason_allen@spe.sony.com  

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Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Claire McKittrick, +1-310-244-4722,
claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com, or Jason Allen, +1-310-244-3502,
jason_allen@spe.sony.com, both of Worldwide Publicity of Sony Pictures Home
Entertainment

Web site: http://www.sonypictures.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment