MUMBAI: Home video in the US generated $15.9 billion in sales and $8.2 billion in rentals in 2007.

Nearly nine million high-definition discs were sold in 2007, for which consumers spent more than $260 million. There were 12,177 DVDs released in 2007, down from a peak of 13,950 in 2005.

The 2008 Annual Report on the Home Entertainment Industry has been released by the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) in the US.

EMA president and CEO Bo Andersen says, “Consumers remain enamored with DVD and video games even as they incorporate new forms of entertainment media into their consumption patterns. New generations of hardware and software, and alternative delivery channels, will ensure that home video and video games remain phenomenally popular entertainment options for the American public for years to come.”

The number-one DVD seller in 2007 was Happy Feet. The Departed led the rental charts. High School Musical 2 was the best selling TV on DVD title and 300 was the leading high-definition disc movie.

It is estimated that, in 2012, sales of Blu-ray Discs will exceed those of standard DVDs and will generate sales of $9.5 billion. Home video spending is projected to increase to $25.6 billion in 2012.

Traditional rental stores, dominated by Blockbuster, accounted for 73 per cent of the rental business in 2007. Online subscription rental (such as Netflix and Blockbuster’s Total Access) were 25 per cent of the market. Kiosk rental doubled its market share to two per cent.

There were approximately 10,000 DVD rental kiosks operational in the US at the end of 2007.

The Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) is a not-for-profit international trade association dedicated to advancing the interests of the $33 billion home entertainment industry. EMA represents approximately 600 companies throughout the US, Canada, and other nations.