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Monday, December 06, 2004

 

BESTof2004: EVENT REVIEW: TV-DVD CONFERENCE & AWARDS, Oct19

2nd ANNUAL TV-DVD CONFERENCE HONORS CARL REINER; FOX FARE FARES WELL AT FIRST-EVER TV DVD AWARDS

by Don Rose

(Los Angeles, CA: Oct. 19, 2004) In response to soaring consumer demand for TV shows on DVD, Video Store Magazine held its first-ever TV DVD Awards today, in conjunction with the second annual TV DVD Conference, at the Century Plaza Hotel & Spa. The TV DVD market is expected to top $2 billion in consumer spending this year, according to VSM's Market Research, and is the fastest-growing segment of the DVD market. The TV DVD Conference was produced by Video Store Magazine, the home entertainment industry’s leading trade publication, in cooperation with DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group and The Hollywood Reporter.
One of the highlights of the day-long affair: Carl Reiner, one of those rare renaissance rebels who has made millions laugh as actor, writer and director, received the first-ever TV DVD Lifetime Achievement Award. Reiner was a regular on such pioneering TV shows as “Your Show of Shows”, and the creator of influential sitcom “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which itself was honored during the evening Awards show. "When it comes to the golden age of television, Carl Reiner’s name immediately pops up as one of the greatest living legends,” said Don Rosenberg, publisher of Video Store Magazine and event chair for the TV DVD Conference. “We are ... pleased that DVD will keep his legacy alive—as well as the legacies of so many other great TV stars, writers and directors—for future generations to come.”
The Conference and first-ever TV DVD Awards were well attended by a mix of studio and TV execs, DVD producers and select media. The conference featured panel discussions, a product presentation luncheon, exclusive market research presentations, and even a chance to be photographed with Magnum P.I., The Munsters, and the stars of Miami Vice (finally coming to DVD, in all its pastel glory). Then all enjoyed an evening cocktail reception with entertainment by Tony Orlando (who also served as TV-DVD Awards M.C.) and Dawn (yes, BOTH original singers, still looking gorgeous!). Orlando and his band gave a stellar performance that had the crowd cheering by the time their last high note was delivered. Coincidentally (or not), Orlando's hit 70's variety show is coming to DVD early next year, courtesy of R2 Entertainment.
In the evening, awards were given in 12 categories; the top TV DVD releases of the past year were honored, including decade-by-decade “best series” awards. Here are all the nominees; winners are shown in bold:
Best 1950s Series
Have Gun Will Travel: The Complete First Season
The Honeymooners: The Classic 39 Episodes
I Love Lucy: The Complete Second Season
Best 1960s Series
The Dick Van Dyke Show (complete series)
Heres Lucy: Best-Loved Episodes
Star Trek: The Original Series Season One
Best 1970s Series
Battlestar Gallactica: The Complete Epic Series
The Richard Pryor Show
Sonny & Cher: The Ultimate Collection
Best 1980s Series
The Kids in the Hall: Complete Season One
SCTV Network 90/Volume One
Sledge Hammer! Season One
Best 1990s Series
Freaks & Geeks: The Complete Series
The Simpsons: Complete Fourth Season
The West Wing: The Complete First Season
Best 2000s Series
24: Season Two
Alias: The Complete Second Season
The Sopranos: The Complete Fourth Season
Best Animated Series
Looney Tunes Golden Collection
The Simpsons: Complete Fourth Season
Spongebob Squarepants: The Complete First Season
Best British TV Release
MI-5, Volume One
The Office
Pennies From Heaven
Best Compilation
The Jack Paar Collection
The Ultimate Johnny Carson Collection
Unsolved Mysteries
Best Made-for-TV Documentary
Easy Riders
Hows Your News?
The World at War
Best Miniseries or TV Movie
The Reagans
Shogun
The Winds of War
Best Special Feature
24 Season Two: Exposed Part One & Part Two featurette
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Sixth Season: Once More With Feeling featurette
The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season: The Making of the Truth documentary
Befitting this election year, winners were selected by consumer vote. A panel of DVD and TV critics nominated 3 titles per category, taking into account such DVD-specific factors as transfer quality, sound and picture, menu design, ease of use, navigation and packaging. Consumers voted for faves on Video Store Magazine’s website, www.hive4media.com, or www.tvshowsondvd.com, a leading Web source for info on TV DVD. All TV DVD titles released in the U.S. between Sept. 1, 2003 and Aug. 31, 2004 were eligible.
Best In Show honors went to "The Dick Van Dyke Show", which has been given deluxe treatment in a new release covering five years of shows.
Other assorted news from the conference:
* the times they are a-changin': Video Store Magazine will, after a quarter century, change its name to Home Media Retailing starting in 2005...
* October 19 marks the release of the next in the fantastic, long awaited SCTV DVD series: Volume TWO, from Shout Factory, and this reviewer can't wait to devour its brilliance...
* November 23rd is the date my OTHER favorite TV show, SEINFELD, becomes available on DVD for the first time (sure to be a bestseller during the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving buying bonanza)...
* CANDID CAMERA is soon coming to DVD at last, thanks to the fine creative folks at Rhino...
* and finally, save the date: FEB '05, for Home Media Retailing's MUSIC DVD Conference.
Platinum sponsors for this year's TV-DVD Conference included Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, HBO Home Video, Image Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video and Warner Home Video. Other sponsors included A&E Home Video, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Lions Gate Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Respond2Entertainment, Rhino Home Video and StudioWorks.
Special thanks to Sue Procko of Sue Procko PR for her assistance, and kudos to Thomas K. Arnold for putting on another fantastic conference. Don't miss their MUSIC DVD CONFERENCE coming this winter.
So what did I learn during this action packed day of digital disc delights? Here is one obvious lesson: if the 50's were the Golden Age of TV, the 00's will be remembered as the Golden Age of DVD.

Posted at 11:49:00 PM by Don




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