MGM Jumps On-board the Blu-Ray Wagon

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said Wednesday it will release its vast library of films and television shows in the Blu-ray high definition DVD format. The announcement was expected. MGM is owned by a consortium that includes Sony Corp., one of the main backers of the Blu-ray format.

Blu-ray is one of two competing formats that will be introduced in North America next year. Sony plans to include a Blu-ray drive when it ships its Playstation 3 game consoles by the middle of next year. The rival format, HD DVD, is backed by a group led by Toshiba Corp. Other backers include Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. Toshiba and others will also start selling HD DVD players starting next year. So far, Blu-ray leads its rival in the amount of films and TV shows that will be immediately available. Studios don’t want a format war they fear will confuse consumers and cause them to delay upgrading to the new format.

Sony, The Walt Disney Co., Twentieth Century Fox and now MGM have all said they will support Blu-ray. None of those companies have said they will produce content in the rival format, although it is expected they would if consumers embrace HD DVD.

Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures have said they will release films and shows in both formats.

Only Universal Pictures has said it will support the HD DVD format exclusively.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said Wednesday it will release its vast library of films and television shows in the Blu-ray high definition DVD format. The announcement was expected. MGM is owned by a consortium that includes Sony Corp., one of the main backers of the Blu-ray format.

Blu-ray is one of two competing formats that will be introduced in North America next year. Sony plans to include a Blu-ray drive when it ships its Playstation 3 game consoles by the middle of next year. The rival format, HD DVD, is backed by a group led by Toshiba Corp. Other backers include Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. Toshiba and others will also start selling HD DVD players starting next year. So far, Blu-ray leads its rival in the amount of films and TV shows that will be immediately available. Studios don’t want a format war they fear will confuse consumers and cause them to delay upgrading to the new format.

Sony, The Walt Disney Co., Twentieth Century Fox and now MGM have all said they will support Blu-ray. None of those companies have said they will produce content in the rival format, although it is expected they would if consumers embrace HD DVD.

Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures have said they will release films and shows in both formats.

Only Universal Pictures has said it will support the HD DVD format exclusively.