Sony, Matsushita and Toshiba haven’t given up yet on an unified blue laser disc format. Sony and Matsushita back the Blu-ray format and Toshiba backs the rival HD-DVD format.

Both formats should give the storage required for High Defenition video but are competing like the current DVD-R and DVD+R camp. Sony sees this as a disadvantage for the consumer and aims for one unified format, with no luck sofar.

However, according to the article at Forbes, when the top management of both Sony and Toshiba step down after a share holders meeting the talks could continue. The management of both companies is very comitted to the format they (co-)develop and this might be a barrier for an unified format. The previous talks broke down because managing directors and lower-ranking officials from the three firms got bogged down in debate over which of the two formats excelled in technological terms, the newspaper noted.

Now the three manufacturers aim to send their senior officials to the negotiating table for a top-down approach, before moving on to another discussion on technological matters, the Nikkei quoted the sources as saying.

The new round of talks will likely be attended by Matsushita President Kunio Nakamura, Sony’s Chubachi and Toshiba’s Nishida. The view is gaining currency at the three firms that their top executives should meet first regardless of the outcome, the report said.

Sony’s meeting is scheduled for June 22, Toshiba’s for June 24 and Matsushita’s for June 29. Sony Chairman and CEO Nobuyuki Idei will resign and be succeeded in both posts by Howard Stringer. In addition, Ryoji Chubachi will become the new president. Toshiba Chairman Taizo Nishimuro will be replaced by current President Tadashi Okamura, with Senior Managing Director Atsutoshi Nishida being promoted to president.

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