Forget File Sharing - It's The DVD That's Killing Other Entertainment

from the blame-the-DVD dept

While most forms of entertainment are struggling for a variety of reasons, the DVD has continued to be an astounding success that many people just can't explain. However, plenty of other entertainment mediums are trying to piggyback on the DVD's success - as they realize that DVD buying and watching is clearly eating into their own business. Old TV shows are being pulled out of the vault as quickly as possible and put on DVD. Record labels are adding DVDs to albums they release. Movie theaters are even thinking of giving "bonus points" towards free DVDs based on how many theater tickets (or how much popcorn) you buy. Of course, what the article doesn't point out is that all of this is happening despite the movie industry screaming and complaining about online movie sharing. The article here opens by talking about the phenomenal success of the DVD for Finding Nemo. Back when Nemo came out, there had been a big stink because it had been found on the internet at the same time it was released in the theaters - but still made a ton of money in the theaters, and now is setting DVD sales records. Funny what happens when you offer a good product that people want at a reasonable price.
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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2004 @ 7:20am

    No Subject Given

    Hey Mike, How exactly do you define a 'reasonable' price ?

    Not trying to be an ass, but I hear you saying that 99 cent or 9.99 for a CD is too much and yet you consider Nemo (least I think that's what you said) DVD to a better value.

    Yet, I suspect if I bought a CD I like and a DVD I like, that I'd get more use out of the CD as am more apt to listen to the same song, say once a week, but watching a movie every week just isn't an option ... least not for a sane person.

    So what/who/how is 'reasonable' determined ?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike (profile), 8 Jan 2004 @ 9:21am

      Re: No Subject Given

      Reasonable is a price at which the consumer is willing to pay, and at which there's no viable competitive product. In the case of music, there is a viable (in fact, better) product at a cheaper price. That's not true of movies at this point.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Matthew H. Wier, 8 Jan 2004 @ 10:08am

        Re: No Subject Given

        Consider the price of going to the movies these days: at my local theater there are three tiers of regular (not student, youth, senior, etc.) ticket prices: regular $8.25, matinee $5.75 and twilight $5.00. According to friends in larger metropolitan areas, these are faily cheap. Ticket prices in Manhattan now top $10.00. That said, it's becoming cheaper to just go out and buy the DVD and avoid the expensive tickets, overpriced concessions, crowds and rude talking people and just watch the movie at home.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      BoilerBob, 8 Jan 2004 @ 10:27am

      Re: No Subject Given

      The difference in my mind, is that when I buy a movie, I watch the whole movie. Spending 9.99 or more on a CD for 1 song I like with 9 fillers seems like a bad value since I'm paying for something I won't use. I think that is why downloads of single songs are my preferred way to buy music now days. Having the record companies force me to buy a full CD will make me buy nothing.

      That's my $.02 on resaonable pricing.

      BTW, I don't consider 99 cents too much for a single song but I do want volume discounts so the more I buy the cheaper per song.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2004 @ 3:45pm

    It is a good price

    I picked up the DVD for Finding Nemo for $24 (CDN). When my family saw it at the theater it cost us $28. We've watched the movie at least three times at home (OK, the kids have watched it at least three times), so in my mind, this is an awesome deal. Much more bang for the buck.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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