Thomas K. Arnold
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Artificial Energy
Our feature this month, on the 20 most creative and transformative uses of artificial intelligence in the digital and home entertainment industry over the past year, came at the suggestion of a longtime reader. “Hey, you guys will really be ahead of the curve on this one,” he said. So I talked it over … Continue reading “Artificial Energy”
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Memories of Black Fridays Past
Remember those late, great Black Friday sales, where the big box merchants — led by Walmart and Best Buy — tried their best to outdo themselves in offering that red-hot commodity, DVD — and, later, Blu-ray Disc — at lowball prices? Back then, in the early 2000s, the disc was the only way to watch … Continue reading “Memories of Black Fridays Past”
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The Balancing Act of Independent Film Distribution
Psychologists have long said that people have a basic human need to feel seen and heard. The same can be said about independent film. In the cover story of the October 2024 issue of Media Play News, we take a deep dive into independent film distribution, a segment of the industry to which we’ve always … Continue reading “The Balancing Act of Independent Film Distribution”
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The Elite 50
Welcome to our first-ever salute to 50 Women to Watch in the Digital Entertainment Business, in which our editors carefully selected the 50 women executives we believe will have the greatest impact on our industry in the coming year. It’s a successor to our popular Women in Home Entertainment feature, which we’ve been publishing annually … Continue reading “The Elite 50”
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For Our 40 Under 40 Honorees, Some Words From the Wise
Welcome to our annual 40 Under 40 issue, which one studio president recently told me is “the single most important thing you do.” We’re proud of our annual spotlight on the rising stars in the world of digital entertainment, part of a broader initiative here at Media Play News to bring attention to the people, … Continue reading “For Our 40 Under 40 Honorees, Some Words From the Wise”
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Ingenuity, Perseverance and Redemption
One of my most enjoyable moments during the recent holiday season was sitting down with Danny Fisher for a nearly two-hour interview at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. His life and times would make a great movie, or maybe even a limited series on one of the big streaming platforms. Fisher is the CEO of FilmRise, … Continue reading “Ingenuity, Perseverance and Redemption”
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Evolving with the Home Entertainment Business
Walking the show floor at CES never gets old. Every year, there is a new array of technological marvels on display as well as the proverbial “shiny new toy” that captivates everyone’s attention — and then either fades away (3D), has its moment in the sun (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray Disc), or becomes part of everyday … Continue reading “Evolving with the Home Entertainment Business”
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The Guiding Hands of Streaming
A year ago, when we came out with our first admittedly audacious list of the 40 most important people in streaming, we thought it was going to be a one-shot deal. It was an ambitious and time-consuming endeavor. So much was being written and talked about the streaming phenomenon, but the focus was always on … Continue reading “The Guiding Hands of Streaming”
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Best Buy’s Exit from Disc Sales Has Nothing To Do With the Market’s Viability
Disc fans, don’t take it personal. Best Buy’s decision to stop selling DVDs, Blu-ray Discs and 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, both at its 1,000-plus physical stores in the United States and Canada and online, isn’t really a repudiation of a market it dominated in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Rather, it’s part of a … Continue reading “Best Buy’s Exit from Disc Sales Has Nothing To Do With the Market’s Viability”
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Thoughts From the Top
For this year’s 40 Under 40 issue, I once again reached out to some of home entertainment’s top executives and asked them what they’d like to say to our Class of 2023 honorees. And in sharp contrast to our current political environment, the phrase that kept popping up most was to “be kind.” “Be curious … Continue reading “Thoughts From the Top”
