HOUSTON, June 12, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Responding to customer demand for more classic movies in addition to new releases in its DVD rental kiosks, TNR Entertainment Corp., the nation's leading owner and operator of these self-service kiosks in supermarkets and grocery stores, has expanded its inventory of titles to include such established and lasting popular films ranging from E.T., Saving Private Ryan, and Platoon to Titanic, Rush Hour and Blazing Saddles, among 50 other titles.
The expanded selections are initially available in nearly 250 The New Release kiosk locations throughout Texas (Austin, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio, Waco), Colorado (Denver, Aurora, Ft. Collins, Lakewood), Florida (Boca Raton, Lantana, Palm Beach), Wisconsin (Milwaukee), and North Carolina (Charlotte). Supermarkets and grocery stores in those areas with The New Release kiosks include H-E-B, King Soopers, Kroger, Publix, Bloom and Roundy's.
"Extending our film selections to broader categories beyond only the newest titles not only satisfies specific consumer demand, but also allows us to reach a broader customer base - those with favorite films over two years old. It's also an effective way of increasing multiple rentals," said Tony Sciolla, Chief Marketing Officer for TNR, parent company of The New Release.
All of TNR's kiosks nationwide - currently 1,900 in 28 states - are expected to offer a combination of both new release and classic film titles in the near future.
Sciolla said the criteria for title selection was either a film' s major box office success of over $100 million such as E.T., Forrest Gump, and Home Alone, or its reputation as a perennial favorite - films such as Caddy Shack, The Princess Bride, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Usual Suspects. Other titles now available in selected TNR kiosks include Scarface, Jerry Maguire, Castaway, Sixth Sense, Hannibal, Ghost, There's Something About Mary, American Graffiti, Casino, Goodfellas, The Shawshank Redemption, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumber, Patriot Games, The Untouchables, What Women Want, The Mask, Risky Business, Seven, Red Dragon and Trading Places.
For a complete listing of the Company's titles, as well as its supermarket and grocery store locations, see the geographic search section of TNR's website, www.thenewrelease.com. TNR has approximately 1,900 kiosks are nationwide in such grocery chains as Dillon's, Food 4 Less, Food Lion, Fry's, H-E-B, Kroger, King Soopers, Publix, Quality Food Centers, Ralph's, Roundy's/Pick 'N Save, and Spartan/Family Fare.
TNR is currently underway on a significant national expansion program, expecting to significantly increase its current network of kiosks by the end of 2007. The New Release automated DVD rental kiosks provide supermarket customers with a more convenient one-stop shopping experience. As the Company's kiosks are being introduced in new markets, more consumers are able to enjoy renting the latest - and now selected classic - DVD titles for $1-a-day and no late fees - a simple and affordable pricing structure that TNR was the first to successfully market. Unlike its competitors, TNR's kiosks house up to 1,000 units each, representing more than 200 titles, including top new releases. The fully-automated kiosks operate on a wireless communications network and next-generation DVD kiosk operating system.
Privately-held TNR Entertainment, based in Houston, dominates the self-service DVD rental category in the grocery channel. Led by TNR's management team of CEO Richard B. Cohen and COO Jeff Karbowiak, the Company's aggressive growth plans call for continuing national expansion of its retail locations, with its kiosk network expected to grow to nearly 3,000 by this year end.
Based in Houston, Texas, TNR Entertainment Corp. is backed by an institutional investor group including Celerity Partners, LP of Los Angeles; Chapton Partners, LP, a Houston family partnership; Laminar Direct Capital, LP, a member of the D. E. Shaw group of companies; and MCG Capital Corporation (Nasdaq:MCGC), a leading specialized financial services company and financial advisor.