Bewkes To Shake Up Time Warner

This was on IMDB.com yesterday...

Quote:
In his first major conference with analysts since taking over as CEO of Time Warner in December, Jeffrey Bewkes indicated Wednesday that he is considering splitting off Time Warner Cable to shareholders, carving AOL into two parts -- and selling off one of the parts, and shutting down New Line Cinema.

As for New Line, Bewkes said, "There's an obvious question about whether it still makes sense for us to have two completely separate studio infrastructures." (Time Warner inherited New Line at the time of its merger with Turner Broadcasting.) Bewkes's words were taken as the clearest indication yet that he now intends to merge New Line with the larger Warner Bros. operation. On Wednesday, L.A. Weekly columnist Nikki Finke, who first reported on the New Line move last month, said on her blog that the studio's co-chiefs, Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, had recently proposed to Bewkes that they institute major cost-cutting moves at the studio in exchange for contract renewals. "But Bewkes isn't interested in that scenario," Finke wrote, without citing sources.

http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2008-02-07/

I'm sure this interests some in one way or another.

Uh, not that anyone gains anything from a Warner/New line consolidation, but could we spin this that Blu Ray has just lost support of a studio???

"...could we spin this that Blu Ray has just lost support of a studio???" --VideoCipher

Cute.

But, again, it's just a matter of the studios figuring out how they can maximize their profits, and, of course, it should have no impact on WB's or New Line's Blu-ray commitment.

John

So he's the one responsible for WB's defection (becomes CEO in December, then blam).

Of course there is sarcasm intended there, but no different from people posting fake press releases and rumors.

At least Warner is admitting that they would be more financially secure in consolidating New Line into their larger operations, but for the sheer simplicity of the numbers that people like to push around, it actually would be -1 studio for Blu Ray.

No less support than they already had, but just a mathematical reality.


If Universal bought Paramount, the Blu trolls would be gloating everywhere that HD DVD now only had 1 Major Studio supporting the format, even though in reality HD DVD didn't lose any matter of studio support in the process.

VideoCipher said,

Quote:
If Universal bought Paramount, the Blu trolls would be gloating everywhere that HD DVD now only had 1 Major Studio

You should'nt indulge in the Secret Art Of Trolling before the actual troll does it themselves, because it makes you look like one. )

Falcon,

Thanks for the news.

"Trolls! ALL TROLLS!!!"



[Post edited by Tim Raynor on Feb 8, 2008]

KHAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!

AOL bought Time Warner, and now Time Warner is getting rid of AOL.

Next up: Time Warner switches back to HD-DVD-only.

New Line's contribution to Blu-ray has been crap.

"Shoot Em Up"

"Rush Hour 3"

"Pan's Labyrinth" was released on both formats, so that leaves a net gain of +1 with "Hairspray". I think HD DVD will survive New Line's "support" of Blu-ray.

posters5 (said) -

Quote:
"I think HD DVD will survive New Line's "support" of Blu-ray."

Perhaps you are forgetting eventual New Line exclusive Blu-ray releases...such as The Lord of the Rings TRILOGY, etc.

Probably the only way for N.American HD-DVD owners to acquire the Rings Trilogy is thru possible imports, but that will conditional on whether HD-DVD is still being supported overseas when those movies finally arrive in hi-def.

-LH (The Loverboy)
~ HI-DEF DUAL FORMAT SUPPORTER ~

LOVERBOY: YOU CAN'T COUNT MOVIES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN RELEASED YET.