Dolby considers buying naming rights for Kodak Theatre

The SF-based sound and video company is in talks with CIM Group, which owns the theater and the entire Hollywood & Highland complex, according to Bloomberg. The talks may not lead to a deal because CIM is open to other offers (I'll bet they are).

Dolby has a long history of working at the Academy Awards, with equipment and sound engineers onsite for the show. The company's audio formats are standard in most films and high-definition television shows. Video and digital cinema, particularly the 3-D format, have become key growth areas for Dolby. The company lags behind RealD Inc., based in Beverly Hills, California, and Imax Corp., of Mississauga, Ontario. Dolby's system can be used on regular projection screens, allowing theaters that haven't made the transition to show 3-D movies.