• The Los Angeles Times this morning reports that Wal-Mart has said that David Porter – who was a top executive in home video and music merchandising at the retailer before resigning to work at DreamWorks Animation SKG – will not be allowed “to deal directly with the retailer for the next five years to avoid the appearance of favoritism.”
According to the story, “Porter had intimate knowledge not only of Wal-Mart's inner workings but also of the home video strategies of DreamWorks' Hollywood rivals,” but that Wal-Mart “doesn't want other studios to think DreamWorks has an unfair advantage because Porter is on its team. Home video is a crucial source of revenue for the studios, often determining whether a movie makes a profit or not.” Wal-Mart is responsible for about 40 percent of all DVD sales in the US.
According to the story, “Porter had intimate knowledge not only of Wal-Mart's inner workings but also of the home video strategies of DreamWorks' Hollywood rivals,” but that Wal-Mart “doesn't want other studios to think DreamWorks has an unfair advantage because Porter is on its team. Home video is a crucial source of revenue for the studios, often determining whether a movie makes a profit or not.” Wal-Mart is responsible for about 40 percent of all DVD sales in the US.
- KC's View:
