European Replicators Form BD Committee

The MEDIA-TECH Association (MTA) has formed an executive committee of the main independent replicators with a European presence. The committee's initial mission will be to work with Sony DADC and the relevant licensing bodies and tackle the major issues for independent replicators and service providers.

These issues are the domination of the replication market by Sony DADC (with a 95% market share), and the high cost of AACS licensing fees for the format. These are generally accepted to be stumbling blocks for the smaller companies wishing to enter Blu-ray.

The new committee consists of Cinram, CDA, InfoDisc, kdg Austria, kdg France, MPO, and Sonopress/arvato. It is chaired by Michael Gutowski of InfoDisc in Germany, the first independent replicator in Europe to produce Blu-ray.

"Our aim is to promote our industry and raise awareness of Blu-ray and all the issues surrounding it," said Bryan Ekus, MTA Managing Director. "We also want to be able to open discussions with the relevant companies and organisations to find a way to move forward on helping to level the Blu-ray playing field for the smaller, independent companies. This is a forum aiming to help all of us."

It was stressed that the new committee is not aimed at replacing or undermining any existing associations, but to focus on making it easier for companies to promote and make both standard and hi-def optical media, and to lower the entry bars for independents.