For the Record
by Staff -- Multichannel News, 11/23/2008 7:00:00 PM
DirecTV Pulls Plug on Pro Gaming Series
Los Angeles — DirecTV said on Nov. 18 that it is discontinuing its ambitious international video game league, the Championship Gaming Series, after two years of operations.
The satellite service, along with internationally-based satellite providers BSkyB and Star, said in a statement that it could not financially sustain the league, in which teams of top pro gamers from around the world competed for video game supremacy and a $1 million prize. In the states, DirecTV aired 45 hours of coverage from the GCS league in 2008, while G4 ran 36 hours of content from the games.
“While the content was ahead of its time and we were extremely proud of what we accomplished, it became increasingly clear as this ambitious project evolved, that profitability was too far in the future for us to sustain operations in the interim,” DirecTV said.
HDTV Set Sales Could Drop In Fourth
Austin, Texas — A slumping economy and the woes of several large retailers could produce the first ever drop in sales of high-definition TV sets during the fourth quarter, according to Paul Gagnon, director of North America TV market research at DisplaySearch, which tracks shipments to retailers.
“We see a pretty dismal outlook for fourth-quarter shipments,” Gagnon said. “I think we could see on a unit basis, shipments actually decline one to two percentage points year over year in the fourth quarter. That is pretty significant because it would be the first year-over-year decline in fourth quarter shipments for flat panels, in particular, ever.”
As late as August, when DisplaySearch was updating fourth quarter estimates, it was still projecting a 1% to 2% increase.
As financial markets plummeted in late September, consumers put the brakes on spending and the outlook for retail sales darkened, Gagnon said.
In the run-up to the digital transition next year, Gagnon also notes that sales of the traditional CRT (cathode-ray tube) sets have improved. CRT sales actually increased in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, reversing significant declines in recent quarters.
“This economy is giving a boost to some of the technologies that were fading and the CRT is seeing a bit of a revival right now,” he said. “Consumers going to the store for a new digital TV are seeing they can get a CRT for about half the price.”
Daniels Fund Doles Out $8.5M in Grants
Denver — Programs serving the aged, the homeless and youth were among the major grant recipients as the Daniels Fund board approved $8.5 million in funding last week.
Major grant recipients include Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association; Arapahoe House; Bright Beginnings; Colorado Coalition for the Homeless; Colorado Drug Endangered Children; Colorado Homeless Families, Inc.; Colorado Neurological Institute; Denver Public Schools Foundation New Teacher Project Partnership; Family Star; Qualistar Early Learning; Save Our Youth; Senior Hub; Special Transit; Urban Peak, Care and Share; Denver Rescue Mission; Harmony Foundation; LaPuente Home; YMCA of Pueblo; and many others.
The Daniels Fund will award a projected $38 million in grants and $12 million in college scholarships in 2008. Program areas eligible for grants through the Daniels Fund include: aging; alcoholism & substance abuse; amateur sports; disabilities; education; homeless & disadvantaged and youth development.
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