MacDailyNews Take: Reorganize into what?
Anderson continues, “The move, long expected and pre-arranged with bondholders, effectively ends an era that Blockbuster dominated — of Americans visiting video-store chains for the latest movie-rental releases… Blockbuster, founded in 1985 by a Dallas software entrepreneur, was once a home entertainment powerhouse. It helped popularize videotape recorders and took off in 1987 after Waste Management Inc. founder Wayne Huizenga took control and began aggressively expanding and buying up competitors.”
MacDailyNews Take: Blockbuster is the Nokia of the 1990s.
Anderson reports, “But Blockbuster has been losing money and market share for years. As Netflix and other services gained popularity, Blockbuster tried to keep up. It ended late fees and started online and kiosk services of its own. But it was unable to keep its debt in check. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn will help steer the latest efforts to save Blockbuster, reviving a role he played previously in trying to shape up the company. He has thrust himself into position of power, this time by snapping up about one-third of Blockbuster’s highest-priority debt, according to a report published Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal. “Blockbuster said in its filing it had about $1 billion in assets and $1.46 billion in debt.”
MacDailyNews Take: Friends don’t let friends do physical media.
Anderson reports, “Blockbuster’s largest creditors include the Bank of New York Mellon, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video Inc., Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Walt Disney Co., Universal Studios Home Entertainment and other movie studios.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Blockbuster still has physical stores? Who knew? For nostalgia’s sake, we’re going to figure out where the nearest one is and get over there later to see it one last time. We imagine a lonely clerk fast asleep in a bright blue and yellow fluorescent-lit tomb. Boy, is he going to be shocked when people walk in!
A few days after I got my iPad and Netflix I cut up my BB card and haven’t been back since.
I went in there one time looking for Fargo, because my girlfriend hadn’t seen it. This was maybe 3 years ago. Out of three BB employees, NONE OF THEM HAD EVER HEARD OF FARGO.
Massive Fail.
@ Sarasota
True, and I want that for some movie. But I don’t need it for all of them. I’ve found that I only listen to commentaries and delve into other extras in less than 5% of my movies.
@ Sarasota
True, and I want that for some movie. But I don’t need it for all of them. I’ve found that I only listen to commentaries and delve into other extras in less than 5% of my movies.
Streaming is not for everyone. Right now only vudu does 1080p streaming and dd ex sound. Netflix is great for something I find lots of old tv shows and some newer stuff. But it’s 2 channel sound and at 1500k it’s not the best quality.
I use it daily though. Now redbud won’t be going anywhere soon they made good money last year and they can beat BB because they have very little overhead. No clerk no physical store. Just an automated machine.
Blockbuster is so far behind in order to stay afloat they are going to have to do a major change.
While streaming is awesome blu ray is great too. Blu ray is not going anywhere soon. There will always be physical media.
Streaming is not for everyone. Right now only vudu does 1080p streaming and dd ex sound. Netflix is great for something I find lots of old tv shows and some newer stuff. But it’s 2 channel sound and at 1500k it’s not the best quality.
I use it daily though. Now redbud won’t be going anywhere soon they made good money last year and they can beat BB because they have very little overhead. No clerk no physical store. Just an automated machine.
Blockbuster is so far behind in order to stay afloat they are going to have to do a major change.
While streaming is awesome blu ray is great too. Blu ray is not going anywhere soon. There will always be physical media.
When your entire business model is supported by late fees you’ll find no sympathy from the masses.
Die Blockbuster! Die!!
When your entire business model is supported by late fees you’ll find no sympathy from the masses.
Die Blockbuster! Die!!
My local video store has 3 redbox locations near it, one across the street. They lowered the price on all rentals to $1. Don’t have to wait 30d for new releases and can keep dvd’s that were released 30d ago for 5 days for $1! The place has been packed ever since they did that about 3 months ago.
My local video store has 3 redbox locations near it, one across the street. They lowered the price on all rentals to $1. Don’t have to wait 30d for new releases and can keep dvd’s that were released 30d ago for 5 days for $1! The place has been packed ever since they did that about 3 months ago.
Not all movies are 30 days. It’s certain studios. But yes that’s one of the few things redbox can’t compete with bb but then if you can’t wait dish and directv both do on demand as well as you can get them from vudu and iTunes. Or go to bb.
Not all movies are 30 days. It’s certain studios. But yes that’s one of the few things redbox can’t compete with bb but then if you can’t wait dish and directv both do on demand as well as you can get them from vudu and iTunes. Or go to bb.
It’s beyond my comprehension how Netflix could have gotten do big. I dont get the exitement over renting a movie via mail. It seems so 1800′ to me.
Or americans show again why they are the laziest and fatest people on earth.
It’s beyond my comprehension how Netflix could have gotten do big. I dont get the exitement over renting a movie via mail. It seems so 1800′ to me.
Or americans show again why they are the laziest and fatest people on earth.
Lack of selection, slow VHS to DVD conversion, late fee abuses, costly rentals all contributed to less than rosy feelings about Blockbuster or loyalty. Sayonara baby you’ve been block busted due to your, as Emperor Palpatine once said “lack of vision.”. Don’t let the Netflix door hit you on the way out.
Streaming or buying online btw means never having to say “we’re out of that title.”
Lack of selection, slow VHS to DVD conversion, late fee abuses, costly rentals all contributed to less than rosy feelings about Blockbuster or loyalty. Sayonara baby you’ve been block busted due to your, as Emperor Palpatine once said “lack of vision.”. Don’t let the Netflix door hit you on the way out.
Streaming or buying online btw means never having to say “we’re out of that title.”
That was the lamest video clip I’ve ever seen.
That was the lamest video clip I’ve ever seen.
My biggest problem with Blockbuster is their prices. For what it costs to rent a first-run DVD at Blockbuster, I can rent the HD version of the movie through my cable box. Better picture, no return trip, same price.
This is Blockbuster’s conundrum, and one I don’t think they can solve. The customer base for physical media rentals is rapidly shrinking to those people who can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay for digital cable or broadband internet. But those people aren’t going to pay the same amount (or more) to rent a physical disc. Unfortunately, Blockbuster, with their physical stores and employees, can’t be profitable at Netflix or Redbox prices.
It’s a perfect example of the Innovator’s Dilemma, and shows why you can’t wait for the market to change to abandon your way of doing business. Blockbuster shouldn’t waited for Netflix and Redbox to become successful before copying them.
BTW: You want an example of a company that successfully navigated a severe change to their business model? Try TV Guide. Virtually no one needs their paper listings anymore, but they’re doing fine, because they virtually own the online and cable TV listing business.
——RM
My biggest problem with Blockbuster is their prices. For what it costs to rent a first-run DVD at Blockbuster, I can rent the HD version of the movie through my cable box. Better picture, no return trip, same price.
This is Blockbuster’s conundrum, and one I don’t think they can solve. The customer base for physical media rentals is rapidly shrinking to those people who can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay for digital cable or broadband internet. But those people aren’t going to pay the same amount (or more) to rent a physical disc. Unfortunately, Blockbuster, with their physical stores and employees, can’t be profitable at Netflix or Redbox prices.
It’s a perfect example of the Innovator’s Dilemma, and shows why you can’t wait for the market to change to abandon your way of doing business. Blockbuster shouldn’t waited for Netflix and Redbox to become successful before copying them.
BTW: You want an example of a company that successfully navigated a severe change to their business model? Try TV Guide. Virtually no one needs their paper listings anymore, but they’re doing fine, because they virtually own the online and cable TV listing business.
——RM
I never understood why those idiots snapped up Blockbuster when Viacom unloaded it. They were in the business, couldn’t they see what was coming? Everyone else could.
I never understood why those idiots snapped up Blockbuster when Viacom unloaded it. They were in the business, couldn’t they see what was coming? Everyone else could.
What a news! <a >bankruptcy</a>
What a news! <a >bankruptcy</a>