LOS ANGELES � DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group will be releasing findings of the first-ever industry-wide assessment of the home entertainment DVD supply chain on June 17 at the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy conference, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City, California.

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group commissioned this study with the support of all eight studios, their five key retail partners, and three leading industry merchandisers. The purpose of this unprecedented initiative was to identify supply chain efficiencies, build category value for retailers, and, overall, optimize the consumer DVD buying experience.

The study, which DEG commissioned Capgemini and Teradata to prepare on their membership's behalf, was conducted over a six-month period and involved interviews with more than 100 executives at participating companies including: Image Entertainment, Lionsgate Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video; as well as key retailers Best Buy, Circuit City, Costco, Netflix, Target, and Wal-Mart and merchandisers Anderson, Mosaic Sales Solutions, and SPAR Group.

According to the findings, the study uncovered exciting and substantial opportunities within the "last 100 feet" of retail distribution that could positively impact the studio business and thus, the way that the consumer interacts with home video products at the retail level.

"By assuring that the product arrives on the store shelves when it is supposed to and when the consumer wants it, we not only improve our overall business but build continued DVD satisfaction among buyers," said Amy Jo Smith, Executive Director, DEG, who has spearheaded the DEG Operations Steering Committee, consisting of 10 senior executives, who directed and managed the study.

Members of this DEG Operations Committee will serve as ESCA panelists when they report their findings at ESCA in June, including: Akin Ceylan, Executive Vice President, Operations, Lionsgate Entertainment; Rick Eiberg, Executive Vice President, Operations & Chief Technology Officer, Image Entertainment; Aodan Coburn, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Operations, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Tom Emrey, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Home Entertainment; Tony Korkunis, Senior Vice President, Retail Operations & Category Management, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; and Dan Miron, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Supply Chain Management, Warner Home Video.

The panel will provide the audience with detailed findings about Data Synchronization and Retail Execution that can have a measurable impact on the category's sales performance at key retail outlets.

For more information about DEG contact: Lyndsey Schaefer, schaefer@degonline.org.

For more information about ESCA 2008 visit: www.entertainmentsupplychain.com/la