Warner Brothers' Steven Nickerson Steps Down

[Crackbone]

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=14609

What a wild and crazy week. Could Warner pull the unthinkable and go BD exclusive? This guy was a pro HD DVD guy big time.

[kowhite]

Hard to say what that means.

For all we know, he was sleeping with the CFO's wife, and stepped down because of that. So it's impossible to guess what this means, if anything. The timing surely raises an eyebrow, nonetheless.

[Aurora]

Maybe it was a conspiracy. You know, Sony thugs held him out the window of the top floor of the WB building, and told him he can either resign and walk away, or they'd throw him out the window for his HD-DVD blasphemy!

[Crackbone]

Originally Posted by kowhite

Hard to say what that means.

For all we know, he was sleeping with the CFO's wife, and stepped down because of that. So it's impossible to guess what this means, if anything. The timing surely raises an eyebrow, nonetheless.

My point exactly. The timing is interesting. There is going to be tons of jockeying for position going on before CEDIA.

[aaronwt]

Originally Posted by Crackbone

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=14609

What a wild and crazy week. Could Warner pull the unthinkable and go BD exclusive? This guy was a pro HD DVD guy big time.

What does the thread show. My IP is banned again. I won't get a different IP again until next week.

[theflux]

I'd wait for something official before believing this...

[kowhite]

Originally Posted by aaronwt

What does the thread show. My IP is banned again. I won't get a different IP again until next week.

It says Steve Nickerson is stepping down, and then a bunch of speculation about what that means...and they cover the whole spectrum.

[Cochise]

Originally Posted by aaronwt

What does the thread show. My IP is banned again. I won't get a different IP again until next week.

We have received word from a reliable source that the Senior Vice President of Market Management for Warner Home Video, Stephen Nickerson has stepped down from his position. During his tenure, Mr. Nickerson was an outspoken proponent of HD DVD, though Warner Brothers does release titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD. No word on his successor, or if Warner will change it stance on high definition releases.

Is the announcement from Josh. 3 pages follow of guessing what it means.

[Crackbone]

Originally Posted by aaronwt

What does the thread show. My IP is banned again. I won't get a different IP again until next week.

Here you go.

We have received word from a reliable source that the Senior Vice President of Market Management for Warner Home Video, Stephen Nickerson has stepped down from his position. During his tenure, Mr. Nickerson was an outspoken proponent of HD DVD, though Warner Brothers does release titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD. No word on his successor, or if Warner will change it stance on high definition releases.

[Xyz123]

Stephen Nickerson, Senior VP, Market Management, Warner Home Video (WHV):

Steve is responsible for worldwide sales and marketing activities. Since joining WHV in 2000, Steve has also been Managing Director for WHV’s operations in Australia/New Zealand and Senior VP of U.S. Sales. Prior to joining WHV, Steve spent 16 years in the consumer electronics industry, mostly with Toshiba in sales and marketing positions. Steve was integral in the launch and success of DVD in the U.S. and also developed and implemented the business plan that enabled Toshiba to become a leader in Projection TVs during the 1990s. Steve has served in several industry associations, including Consumer Electronics Association Video Division Chairman and member of the Executive Board 1997-1999, as well as a founding board member and past President of DEG: Digital Entertainment Group.

Who knows what this means if this is true? But it doesn't look good on the surface for a move to HD DVD exclusive.

[luigi55]

i think he step down because he was felling blu

[Cochise]

It very likely means something is going on at Warner.

Just a week or so ago in talking about the success of releasing '300' on both formats he was quoted as saying:

"“We don’t miss any of the consumers, because we don’t choose one format,” Mr. Nickerson said. “Our objective as a studio is to provide content to as many different people as possible.”

“If you choose one format over another, you’re going to limit the audience in an already limited audience,” he said. “In the short term, it’s better to give people what they want and how they want it.”

Mr. Nickerson said that until it’s a bad business decision to support both formats, the studio will not be choosing one over the other.

If Warner has decided to go HD DVD only, he may have quit in protest.

In the highly unlikely, unbelievable scenario that Warner is going BD only, he likely left in disgust. But Sony . . er, I mean the BDA doesn't have enough money to buy out Time Warner.

[Balian]

In normal circumstances, it could be anything and I wouldn't make such a big deal of it. However, happening at the end of this tumultuous week with Warner Brothers exclusivity rumors swirling like there is no tomorrow, this could be really big. Perhaps its harbinger of a shift in Warner Brothers' HDM position.

[Balian]

Originally Posted by CochiseGuy

It very likely means something is going on at Warner.

Just a week or so ago in talking about the success of releasing '300' on both formats he was quoted as saying:

"“We don’t miss any of the consumers, because we don’t choose one format,” Mr. Nickerson said. “Our objective as a studio is to provide content to as many different people as possible.”

“If you choose one format over another, you’re going to limit the audience in an already limited audience,” he said. “In the short term, it’s better to give people what they want and how they want it.”

Mr. Nickerson said that until it’s a bad business decision to support both formats, the studio will not be choosing one over the other.

If Warner has decided to go HD DVD only, he may have quit in protest.

In the highly unlikely, unbelievable scenario that Warner is going BD only, he likely left in disgust. But Sony . . er, I mean the BDA doesn't have enough money to buy out Time Warner.

If anything, Steven Nickerson is a pro HD DVD guy. Remember, he used to work for Toshiba.

We have received word from a reliable source that the Senior Vice President of Market Management for Warner Home Video, Stephen Nickerson has stepped down from his position. During his tenure, Mr. Nickerson was an outspoken proponent of HD DVD, though Warner Brothers does release titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD. No word on his successor, or if Warner will change it stance on high definition releases.

[Philnerd]

Dang, there's a lot of smoke coming from Warner. But is there a fire? And what color is the fire?

Woohoo, an interesting week for sure!