Digital Entertainment Group Europe (DEGE) announced the addition of Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment to its membership as well as its Executive Board of Directors.
For more information visit: www.deg-europe.eu
Unedited press release follows:
Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment Become Latest Members to Join the DEGE: Digital Entertainment Group Europe
Leading Studios Extend Local Footprint of Industry Group
LONDON–The DEGE: Digital Entertainment Group Europe, an industry funded non-profit corporation that advocates and promotes the many consumer benefits associated with home entertainment products, is today pleased to announce the addition of Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment to its membership as well as its Executive Board of Directors.
The Digital Entertainment Group Europe, whose members include Arvato Digital Services; Cinram, Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Technicolor; Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment; Universal Pictures International Entertainment; Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment; as well as Warner Home Video and Digital Distribution welcomes Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment as their latest members.
The addition of Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios Home Entertainment, two of the industry’s leading content makers and publishers, enables the DEGE to extend its reach into the UK independent studio business. It further affords the group with valuable additional local support for key DEGE communications, supply chain and digital initiatives that will benefit the European industry as a whole.
Yves Caillaud, Senior Vice President (EMEA) of Warner Home Video and Digital Distribution and Chairman of the Digital Entertainment Group Europe, said: “Lionsgate UK and ITV Studios are excellent additions to our growing member community. With a significant footprint in both the UK and European market, Lionsgate UK and ITV will help the DEGE achieve its objectives of educating consumers and promoting the many exciting choices in home entertainment that exist today.”
Steve Gallant, Board Director of the DEGE and Director of Home Entertainment and Digital at ITV Studios Home Entertainment, said: “ITV Studios is a great believer in cross industry collaboration. We’re thrilled to be a part of this important European body at such a critical time in the evolution of the physical and digital content businesses.”
ITV Studios is one of Europe’s leading commercial production companies producing more than 3,000 hours of original programming each year. Responsible for digital business as well as the packaged media arm, ITV Studios is the production and distribution division of ITV plc and ITV Studios Home Entertainment joins the DEGE Group and Board of Directors as of 1st January, 2010.
Nicola Pearcey, Board Director of the DEGE and Managing Director of Home Entertainment, UK & Ireland at Lionsgate, said: “Lionsgate UK looks forward to expanding the reach of this important initiative and believes that with a united front across all studios and territories, the DEGE can be a commercial powerhouse, educating consumers and enhancing the home entertainment industry at large.”
Lionsgate UK is a leading next generation studio with a major presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. Lionsgate UK has established a reputation as a leading distributor of commercially successful and critically acclaimed product, recently releasing the box office hits such as “Harry Brown,” Oscar and BAFTA winner “The Hurt Locker,” “Drag Me To Hell,” “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” BAFTA winner “I’ve Loved You So Long” and “The Bank Job.”