Warner Bros. in China DVD Deal with Paramount, DreamWorks

BEIJING, November 8: In an effort to curb the rampant DVD
piracy in China, Warner Home Video (WHV) has inked a deal to sell
“competitively priced” DVDs from Paramount and DreamWorks Animation on the
mainland, beginning this month.

WHV will use its distribution infrastructure to provide high
quality, studio-authorized copies of blockbuster films on DVD. The first two
titles to be released under the agreement are Transformers and Shrek the Third, priced at a reported 22 yuan ($3). CAV Warner Home
Entertainment, a joint entertainment distribution venture between Warner Home
Video and China Audio Video, will distribute select Paramount and DreamWorks
Animation titles in more than 50 cities and in up to 20,000 outlets.

“The addition of two major Hollywood studios’ product in
China—Paramount and DreamWorks Animation—further strengthens our
efforts in building a legitimate video business in China,” said Mark Horak, the
executive VP and general manager for worldwide operations and new packaged
media for WHV. “By providing a wide selection of high quality, competitively
priced DVDs, we will be offering consumers a more attractive alternative to
lower quality, pirated product.”

“Warner has demonstrated that securing key retail outlets in
China is necessary to supplant pirated content with legitimate product to fight
piracy in the market,” said Dennis Maguire, the president of Paramount Home
Entertainment International.

—By Mansha Daswani