Last week, the Home Recording Rights Coalition (HRRC) issued a statement condemning the encryption of terrestrial broadcast television programming, which the organization says will threaten established home recording rights. The HRRC made its comments in a letter sent to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell in response to issues raised in a letter sent to Chairman Powell last week from members of Congress. In its letter, the HRRC expressed concerns that television programming producers may decide to provide content only to channels with strong copy protections.

As noted last week, since September 11 video rentals have mushroomed, as consumers have opted for the security of their homes instead of heading for the theater. The effects of this recent trend are being felt directly by video rental company Blockbuster which recently announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2001.

James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski. Animatronic creatures by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Directed by Chris Noonan. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1. Dolby Surround. Two sides. 92 minutes. 1995. CLV. MCA Universal Home Video 42692. Rated G. $34.99.

The latest holiday season numbers are now in, and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is reporting that manufacturer-to-dealer video products sales in December, 2000 grew by 15% over last year's figures, giving a total of more than 6.4 million units shipped, and culminating a year of strong growth. The CEA reports that total sales of video products in 2000 reached 67.8 million units, representing a 12% increase over total sales for 1999. The trade group adds that the year finished with sales increases in almost every category.

Factory shipments of video products reached 4.9 million units for the month of August, an 8% increase from last month, according to figures released recently by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The organization says that year-to-date growth resulted in double-digit gains that boosted dealer sales to 38.7 million units, a 13% increase over 1999 figures.

Your local mom-and-pop video store might be on its way to extinction because of pricing benefits offered to large chains, complained the Independent Video Retailers Group last week at the Video Software Dealers Association trade show and conference in Las Vegas. According to the independents, mass-market outlets like Blockbuster are given an unfair advantage by movie studios eager to increase rentals by putting more copies of hit movies in stores.