http://www.campaignhd.com/080104_Warner_Paid.html 

Report says that Warner was paid $500 Million by BDA !?

January 4th 2008

Report a lso says Fox was paid off, too !

We have heard today of Warner's shock move to Bluray. And we have heard some gossip in online forums that both HD DVD and Bluray had been courting Warner.

But imagine how shocked we were to read a report on Format War Central that appears to give a lot more information!

According to this report, Warner has been promised $500 for their support of Bluray and dropping HD DVD! Yes, that's HALF A BILLION DOLLARS!!

It says that up to last week, Warner had been set to go over to the HD DVD side, and that Fox was set to go with them. We assume that this also means that MGM would have moved over to HD DVD, but no information has been given yet regarding this assumption.

However, at the last moment, it is said, Fox changed their mind and accepted a hefty deal from the BDA.

Warner, it is claimed, then decided that they could not go HD DVD without another studio moving with them, and then accepted a HALF BILLION DOLLAR deal from the BDA to go exclusive and drop HD DVD.

The report is now appearing on other parts of the web also, like over at EngadgetHD. One poster even says it may have been as much as $620 Million!

We are truly amazed and horrified at this, if true. Assuming that memorandums of understanding were in place between the companies and the HD DVD group, to have turned the tables and blindsided the HD DVD group, their supposed partners, at the last moment right before CES, is shocking.

Worse, if Fox and Warner truly accepted the sums of money being indicated, then it makes a mockery of ALL of their public statements that "the consumer has chosen Bluray", in our opinion.

In fact, if true,then it's our view that this is a disgusting and black day for Home Entertainment in general. A true smirch on what the industry seems to have become.

Note: A report has come out tonight stating that Kevin Tsujihara at Warner denies that a "payoff" was taken by Warner. However, the apparent source of that article is an online discussion Mr. Tsujihara was in, in which he curiously DID NOT deny it. At this point, we find it difficult to know who to believe, frankly. We would note that talk of denial appears to be being met with healthy scepticism from those who appear to know more about the deal...

Note: Other articles today appear to confirm the bidding for Warner, such as this BusinessWeek article.

We suggest you consider that you let Warner know what you think of this, here...

Here is a quote of the article linked:

"According to a trusted source that was close to the negotiations, Warner and FOX were working on a deal to go Exclusive to HD DVD as recent as last week. Our source tells us that Warner was only willing to go to HD DVD if FOX would go with them. Their thinking was if they just went to HD DVD by themselves, it would not end the format war. Early this week FOX was paid an undisclosed amount to remain exclusive to Blu-ray. With the FOX deal falling through, Warner had no choice but to accept the BDA’s $500 Million offer to go Blu-ray exclusive. We do wonder if FOX was just playing the HD DVD side, while having no intentions of ever switching."

==> so all is about money ^^

I think 500M$ is simply too much money and since the BR was winning, the Warner's move was rational for me

but why not ...

AND WHAT IS BDA ?

BDA : Blu-Ray Disc Association

Membres depuis 2002 :
Hitachi
LG
Pioneer
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony
Thomson
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial)

Membres depuis 2003 :
Mitsubishi Electric

Membres depuis 2004 :
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney
Dell
HP
TDK

Membres depuis 2005 :
Apple, Inc.
Warner Bros.

Membres depuis 2006 :
Sun Microsystems

me

I fully expect that all of the PS3 fanboys who blasted Paramount for taking a bribe to go exclusive will now come into this thread and blast Fox and Warner for doing the same to an even greater and more pathetic extent.........not.

I wonder what 500 millions represent for something as huge as the BDA... But I guess this is a nice bonus for Time Warner. A naive comment could be : poor BDA had no choice as the HDDVD supporters started to pay studios to go exclusive on their side.

Now it's a bit sad they did not choose their side according to the quality or consumers interest. But business is business, isnt' it ? Actually, this entire "format war" is stupid, they should have agreed on one unique heir to DVD before releasing it

so what are all the big companies who have chosen for hd-dvd?
ibm, microsoft... ?

XBOX 360 with HD DVD at CES is a hoax or not.

Hahaha before you start posting this as credible, read that large blue caveat at the top right corner.

"Please note - This web site was started and is maintained entirely by individuals who just love HD DVD. Unlike most "fan sites" on the Bluray side, we are NOT sponsored or bought by any of the companies involved in the "format wars". Your email address will not be given to any other party at any time."

Man I wonder if the guy that said sony never money hats is going to comment.

I think this was a great move because its better for the consumer. As soon as all this shit is over I can finally get a real high def player none of that upscaling bullshit.

starcraft,

- we need a confirmation. As stated Jandre02, I should have put "rumor" on the title

- BR was winning, it makes sense to see Warner going BR exclusive, even without being paid.
At the opposite, the HD DVD exclusivity of Paramount was another way to make the war last longer that was killing the BR and the HD DVD itself.
The Paramount move, without the supposed 150$M paid, makes no sense by itself.

Upscaling is not bullshit. It is just not as quality.