Mark Fleischmann

Two cable systems are trying new methods of movie distribution in an attempt to achieve same-day parity--or better--with DVD release and on-air broadcast dates.

NHT is out of the woods. The very reputable speaker manufacturer has endured a long series of acquisitions since it was founded in 1986. Its latest owner finally sold the company to its employees and it will be known as NHT Audio LLC.

In a possibly momentous move, Sharp acquired a significant stake in Pioneer late last year. Sharp's $358 million investment bought it 14 percent of Pioneer, making it the latter's biggest shareholder. Pioneer also acquired 0.9 percent of Sharp.