DALLAS -- Blockbuster here will "significantly" increase its copy depth this holiday season when it expects more people to travel less because of concern over the Y2K computer glitch, the company reported this month.
he survey found that 45% of respondents said they either "plan to" or "will probably" stay home, and 49% are "very" or "somewhat" likely to rent movies on New Year's Eve.
"While there's a lot of mania surrounding our entry into the new millennium, the truth is most people are taking it in stride and plan to spend the evening at home with family, friends and a good movie," said Jim Notarnicola, Blockbuster's chief marketing officer. "New Year's week is traditionally the biggest week of the year for Blockbuster stores, with more than a third of all U.S. households renting videos," added Allen Klose, senior vice president of market research for Blockbuster.
ENCINO, Calif. -- The Video Software Dealers Association here has renewed its "Pledge to Parents" program, which provides movie and video-game rating information, along with parental controls over what children can rent or buy. The program was originally created in 1991, but fresh materials went out to VSDA member retailers this month, including ratings posters, signage and contracts for retailers to sign with parents. Retailers participating in the program promise not to rent or sell videos or games designated as restricted to those under 17 years of age without parental consent, such as those rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America or M by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. Parents can give retailers written instructions as to what types of content they will allow family members to rent or buy.
WASHINGTON -- The Interactive Digital Software Association this month launched an independent advertising organization -- the Advertising Review Council -- with the goal of assuring that ads placed by U.S. computer and video-game software makers are appropriate, responsible, truthful and accurate. The new ad unit will become a division of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, which rates video games. The ESRB will enforce the guidelines.
"ARC is a far-reaching initiative to ensure video games are marketed appropriately to all audiences," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the IDSA. "Our goal is to strike a balance between preserving creative freedom and meeting our responsibilities to consumers."