DVD Reaches 75% Share of Home Video Rental Market, Lions Gate Punishes the Competition PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- U.S. video rental spending for the week-ending 9/12/04 tipped the DVD market share for the first time to 75%, according to Rentrak's Home Video Essentials. Consumer spending on DVD rentals reached $98.7 million on a volume of 31.7 million DVD units turned -- compared to $32.6 million on VHS. Business intelligence from Home Video Essentials showed a (+) 20% growth in the DVD share from the same week last year (week-ending 9/14/03). "With the installed base of DVD consoles/computer drives at 76 million households,* coupled with DVD's exceptional picture, and unbounded interest in home theatre -- this year-over-year growth is of little surprise," said Brad Hackley, VP of Business Development. Based on Marvel's comic book hero, The Punisher, the John Travolta action film punished the competition -- staving off a fierce slate of major opposition from the Tom Hanks-starrer The Ladykillers, the Snoop Dogg-featured Soul Plane, and last week's dramatic debut of Mel Gibson's The Passion. Artisan's The Punisher debuted as the #1 DVD, the #1 VHS, the #1 video overall, the #1 Action video, and the #1 R-rated video for the week. Top 10 Renting Videos (Combined DVD/VHS) for the Week Ending 9/12/04 This Last Wks Wk Wk Title Studio Out 1 NEW The Punisher Artisan 1 2 NEW The Ladykillers Walt Disney 1 3 NEW Soul Plane MGM 1 4 2 Twisted Paramount 2 5 1 The Passion Of The Christ FOX 2 6 NEW Jersey Girl Miramax 1 7 3 Taking Lives Warner 4 8 4 Girl Next Door FOX 3 9 5 Godsend Lions Gate 4 10 7 Hidalgo Touchstone 6 * Centris Research/Santa Monica Top 10 rental charts are based on preliminary data. Ranking are subject to change upon receipt of additional data. Up-to-date information on video and videogame rentals are available on Home Video Essentials. Home Video Essentials is a product of Rentrak Corporation. For more information, contact: Sallie Olmsted Rogers & Cowan 310-201-8824 DATASOURCE: Rentrak Corporation CONTACT: Sallie Olmsted of Rogers & Cowan, +1-310-201-8824, or , for Rentrak Corporation Web site: http://www.rentrak.com/

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