Warner kicks off direct-to-DVD division

Warner Bros. film studio on Monday launched a new division charged with steering the company's direct-to-DVD efforts, according to Reuters news service.

The new group, called Warner Premiere, will oversee the production and distribution of movies released first on DVD rather than in theaters. Traditionally, the public was introduced to a feature film via movie houses.

Today, several studios, including Disney, have successfully tapped the straight-to-DVD market.

The first release from the new division will be "Dukes of Hazzard II," which is scheduled to be released next spring.