Paramount Reiterates Continued HD DVD Support

Paramount Pictures has denied a recent report by the Financial Times that said the studio would abandon the HD DVD format in favor of Blu-ray as Warner Bros. Entertainment recently announced it would. Paramount spokeswoman Brenda Ciccone refuted the Financial Times article to Bloomberg via email. "Paramount's current plan is to continue to support the HD DVD format," she wrote. Paramount's contract with Toshiba, owner of the technology, features a clause that reportedly permits it to switch to Blu-ray in the event that Warner Bros. ceases supporting HD DVD, leading to speculation following Warner Bros' announcement. Along with Dreamworks Pictures, Paramount remains one of two major studios continuing to side with HD DVD. DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg recently stated, "We believe the combination of this year's low-priced HD DVD players and the commitment to release a significant number of hit titles in the fall makes HD DVD the best way to view movies at home."