High-def DVDs to dominate through next decade, SNL Kagan says

Despite sales of only $42.4 million for high-def DVDs (both HD-DVDs and Blu-ray discs) in the retail market last year, receipts for sales of HD titles on high-def DVDs will be a huge market force through the coming decade, according to a new report from SNL Kagan

The report, “State of Home Video 2007,” reveals last year’s modest high-def DVD numbers compared to the total home-video market revenue of $24.2 billion. It forecasts that revenue for high-def DVDs will grow from 3.5 percent of the total this year to 76.5 percent in 2016.

The DVD rental market is booming in general, while the VHS rental market “will be done” by 2009, the research organization reports. According to SNL Kagan, total DVD revenue in 2005 was up 10.3 percent to $7.4 billion. For 2005, traditional brick-and-mortar rental revenue grew to nearly $6.2 billion, while subscription service revenue was up 50.2 percent to more than $1.2 billion.

For more information, visit www.snlkagan.com.