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DEG ESTABLISHES PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR JAPAN BRANCH LAS VEGAS (Jan. 7, 2008) – DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group held its annual reception during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where the Hollywood-based group made key trade announcements. One of those announcements was the establishment of a DEG satellite group to create a Working Committee based in Tokyo. In Japan, HDTV adoption has dramatically increased with one third of households now able to watch HDTV programming. Sales of high-definition recorders have exceeded ninety percent penetration and next-generation optical recorder has topped twenty percent of those. HD packaged media is also growing with sales of HD software titles sharply rising. In response, the DEG launched the preparatory committee for establishing a DEG Working Committee in Japan to offer a place for Japanese video content providers and hardware manufacturers to discuss their future collaboration and further accelerate both content and hardware businesses in Japan. Earlier this year, the DEG announced the formation of a working association with the DEG Europe that allows the two trade alliances a wealth of knowledge and assets shared across continents. With this alliance between the European and the North American groups, the two groups are in a position to provide useful tools that inform the consumer how to maximize the high-definition experience. This relationship has demonstrated that working together the groups can fully promote and communicate the benefits of the new high definition products. The DEG believes the same benefits can be achieved with a DEG Working Committee in Japan. In its eleventh year, the DEG is dedicated to advancing awareness and adoption of DVD and emerging technologies, including high definition entertainment. Working with its 50+ member companies, the DEG creates programs and initiatives that encourage adoption of home entertainment products. The DEG is one of the leading sources of information on sales data for DVD and HD media. The group also has produced a handful of instructional collateral materials for use at retail. The US-based trade association is the only group of its kind that offers a collaboration among content providers and hardware manufacturers to establish marketing initiatives to drive adoption. “The DEG has seen that working together, we can advance adoption and awareness of entertainment products by creating programs and initiatives for the trade,” said Amy Jo Smith, Executive Director, DEG. “As we hope to transition consumers everywhere to a world of high definition, we are delighted to create a dialogue with our counterparts in Japan to share ideas and leverage our collective expertise across borders.” The DEG has announced that Panasonic and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will serve as the Secretary Office for handling the establishment of the DEG Japan Working Committee. Both current DEG member companies will help coordinate activities to involve key home entertainment companies in Japan. The group hopes to create a working group within the year.
DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group is a Los Angeles-based, industry-funded nonprofit corporation that advocates and promotes the many benefits associated with DVD while providing updated information regarding the format to both the media and the retail trade. The DEG offers a forum for member companies to engage in ongoing discussions concerning various issues and opportunities, which relate to other new digital technologies that may emerge in the future. Regular members of the DEG are D&M Holdings, Digeo, DTS Entertainment, Dolby Laboratories, HBO Video, Hewlett-Packard, Image Entertainment, JVC Company of America, Lionsgate, MGM Home Entertainment, Microsoft, New Line Home Entertainment, Panasonic Consumer Electronics, Paramount Home Entertainment, Philips Electronics, Pioneer Electronics (USA), Sony Electronics, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Starz Home Entertainment, Thomson, Toshiba America Consumer Products, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video. Associate members are 3ality Digital, AGI Media, Arvato Digital Services, Ascent Media/Blink Digital, Bertelsmann Direct North America, Blockbuster, Capgemini, CinemaNow, Cryptography Research, Deluxe Digital, Distribution Video & Audio, Ingram Entertainment, JVC Disc America, Kestrel Wireless, Macrovision, Memory-Tech, Netflix, Nielsen Entertainment, Panasonic North America, PaperFoam, Polar Frog Digital, RCDB, ScreenPlay, Simplay Labs, Sonic Solutions, Sony DADC, Technicolor, THX and Universal Operations Group. The DEG can be reached at 310-888-2201, via e-mail at getinfo@digitalentertainmentinfo.com or through its Web site at www.digitalentertainmentinfo.com. For media inquiries in Japan, contact: # # #
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