SEPT. 19 — HBO Video president Henry McGee, Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders and The Digital Entertainment Group will be recognized for their contributions to the growth, creative development and sustainability of the global home entertainment business when they are inducted into the Video Business Video Hall of Fame on Dec. 8 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The two executives and DEG will be recognized together at VB’s 28th annual fundraising gala, to be held for the second year at the Beverly Hills Hotel. To date, the Video Hall of Fame benefit has raised more than $3 million for Variety—The Children’s Charity (no relation to VB’s sister publication Variety).
Comedian and TV personality Byron Allen will once again host the Video Hall of Fame awards presentation.
McGee has served as president of HBO Video since 1995, a tenure unmatched by any other current president of a DVD division at a major media company. Under his direction, HBO Video is recognized as a pioneer in the profitable TV on DVD business, using packaged media to expand the audiences of such critically acclaimed series as The Sopranos and Sex and the City. The first season of The Sopranos has brought in more than $100 million in DVD sales, while HBO miniseries Band of Brothers has surpassed $200 million.
The Time Warner division also has been an innovator in the use of the Internet for home entertainment marketing and has expanded globally under McGee.
As WHV’s worldwide president since 2005, Sanders oversees all aspects of the studio’s current $5 billion global home entertainment business and its strategic development, including building the market for the studio’s films on Blu-ray Disc. WHV under Sanders played a key role in ending the high-def format war when it threw its support solely behind Blu-ray early this year.
WHV’s sales of catalog, TV DVD, new releases and distributed lines combined have made the studio No. 1 in U.S. home entertainment market share, with near 20% of consumer spending on rentals and sales every year Sanders has been at the helm.
Before becoming president of WHV, Sanders helped build the studio’s DVD revenue as an executive overseeing the studio’s home entertainment businesses in the U.S. and in several territories internationally.
The work of DEG in bringing together hardware and software marketers in one effort to advance the DVD format was unprecedented and played a key role in helping make DVD the fastest adopted consumer electronics product ever.
With an expanded focus, DEG is now helping its members educate consumers about the groundbreaking benefits of Blu-ray, and has grown into the premier forum for industry discussion on issues such as emerging digital technologies and environmental responsibility.
The DEG award will be accepted by Amy Jo Smith, the group’s executive director.
Individual tickets for this year’s gala dinner are $495 or $4,950 for a table of 10. Contact Jessica Ichien at 323.965.4453 or jessica.ichien@reedbusiness.com for reservations.