Reports of DVDs' death are . . .

One of the key alterationsto the cinematic landscape over the outgoing decade came with the new ability - both legally and illegally - to download movies.

Yet it has remained difficult to legitimately download less mainstream material.

Now the Metrodome Group, a leading distributor of independent pictures, has negotiated a promising deal with Apple to make its films available via iTunes. Other smaller companies have seen their films become available in this manner, but they have invariably had to use a larger movie company as a middleman. Is the DVD now doomed? www.metro dromgroup.com