DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, the consortium focused on digital and physical platforms for the home entertainment industry,  announced its Communications Committee for 2017,  chaired by James Finn, EVP of corporate and marketing communications at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and vice chaired by Liz West, VP of publicity at Walt Disney Studios.

Other committee members include:

-Daniel Spinosa, General Manager Pay-Per-View & Commerce, Comcast Cable 

-Michelle Slavich, Head of Entertainment Communications, Google/YouTube

-Brandt Haynes, Senior Vice President Product Management and Global Production & Operations, HBO

-Amelia Rogers, Vice President Worldwide Home Entertainment Publicity, Lionsgate

-Brenda Ciccone, Senior Vice President Worldwide Publicity, Paramount Home Media Distribution

-Marty Gordon, Vice President Strategic Partnerships & Alliances, Philips Electronics

-John Dolak, Vice President Corporate Communications, Sony Electronics

-Stephanie Varlotta, Vice President, Technicolor Entertainment Services Marketing

-Andy Fixmer, Vice President Global Communications, Universal Music Group

-Lea Porteneuve, Senior Vice President Global Publicity & Communications, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

-Emily Zalenski, Vice President, Publicity, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment 

Home entertainment trade organization DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group has named Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, as its new chairman for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Dunn previously served as vice chair for DEG. The group named Matt Strauss, executive vice president and GM of video services for Comcast Cable, to take over Dunn’s prior role.

Sofia Chang, EVP of worldwide digital distribution and home entertainment for HBO, will continue to serve as DEG’s CFO, while Mike Fasulo, president and COO of Sony Electronics, will continue to serve as DEG’s secretary.

Former chair Ron Sanders, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Home Entertainment Distribution, will serve in the position of Ex-Officio.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

As of the midway point of 2016, more than 8 million 4K Ultra HD TVs have been sold in the U.S., and second quarter sales were up 120% compared to a year ago, a good sign for a home entertainment industry looking toward 4K to boost physical and digital content sales, according to a new report from DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.

Nearly 1.5 million 4K UHD TVs were sold during the quarter, while consumers purchased approximately 288,000 4K Blu-ray Disc copies of the 45-plus titles Hollywood studios have released on the next-gen format.

For the second quarter, home entertainment spending jumped 6% to $4.3 billion, with Blu-ray Disc sales up 35%. Sell-through of digital and physical content combined was $1.7 billion, up 4%, while digital sellthrough alone grew 9%.

Read more at B&C.