The opening session of EMA's Home Media Expo 2008 will feature prominent leaders of the home entertainment industry discussing how Blu-ray will transform and grow the home entertainment market, much as DVD revolutionized the business a decade ago.
During the session, titled "Moving Forward and Building Growth," Mike Dunn, President of 20th Century Fox Home Ent., James W. Keyes, Chairman and CEO of Blockbuster, James L. McQuivey, VP, Principal Analyst with Forrester Research, and Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, VP, Corporate Development and General Manager, Blu-ray Disc Group, Panasonic Corporation of North America, will examine how the technology of Blu-ray provides a superior entertainment experience and what needs to be done to ensure its widespread embrace by consumers. The Opening Session will be held on Tuesday, June 24, from 9-10:45 a.m. at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Currently, the home entertainment industry is undertaking a progression from standard DVD to Blu-ray Discs," said Bo Andersen, President of the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA). "Blu-ray is the superior format for home entertainment -- perfectly suited for the wave of high-definition TVs consumers are buying. Blu-ray discs present tremendous growth opportunities for the industry, yet some pundits theorize roadblocks exist to widespread consumer adoption. This distinguished panel will provide studio, retailer, and analyst perspectives on how Blu-ray discs can and will impact the future of the home entertainment industry."
A highlight of the "Moving Forward and Building Growth" session will be a special presentation on "BD Live," which changes the home viewing experience from passive to interactive. Sony Pictures Home Ent., a leader in the implementation of BD Live technology, will demonstrate this Blu-ray technology during the panel.
EMA's Home Media Expo 2008 will be held June 24-26, 2008 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas but is open only to trade and press.
