20th Century Fox Pretends The Competition Doesn't Exist

from the logically-stupid dept

It was surprising a few months back, when Disney's new CEO seemed to actually grasp the challenges the movie industry faced in the digital age, and started pushing to simultaneously release movies and DVDs. It wasn't his idea originally, of course. Some smaller studios and Blockbuster Video have been pushing for the same thing. However, he was the first major studio head to support the idea. Of course, his colleagues in the industry aren't so quick to go along with it. The head of 20th Century Fox was out bashing the idea of simultaneous releases, but doing so in a way that should make you wonder where he's leading the studio. Studio Co-Chairman James Gianopulos downplayed the idea by saying: "You can never compete with free." It's scary that this is the person who is supposed to be setting the strategic direction of a major film studio -- because he doesn't seem to realize the industry he's in. First of all, he's already competing with free. It's out there. More importantly, though, of course you can compete with free. It happens all the time -- and you do it in one of two ways: (1) you offer something better and/or (2) you incorporate the free into your marketing strategy. With movies, both of these are easy to do. They can make the movie-going experience much more enjoyable. They can offer all sorts of extras with the DVD. Hell, they can offer the DVD to people who actually go see the movie for free or at some discount. To say that "you can't compete with free" when you have to compete with free shows a lack of understanding of just what marketplace he's really in.
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  • identicon
    giafly, 2 Dec 2005 @ 3:58am

    Re: You can never compete with free

    What a moroon. Most business sectors successfully compete with free:
    * Housing (you could live in a cave for free)
    * Transport (walking is free)
    * Publishing (talking is free)
    In these cases, the non-free product is usually better, which is why most of us prefer to buy houses rather than live in caves. He should make his products better too.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      GSA, 2 Dec 2005 @ 12:04pm

      Re: You can never compete with free

      Bottled water, anyone? I've paid $4.00 for a 24 oz. bottle of the stuff at an airport before.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Wolfger, 2 Dec 2005 @ 4:43am

    Can't compete with free?

    Hurry up and call Bill Gates! Let him know that Windows at $200 per license can't possibly stand up against Linux for free...
    Some people just have no concept, do they?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Wyndle, 2 Dec 2005 @ 9:56am

      Re: Can't compete with free?

      To add to the examples, why pay a server to host your webpage when you can set up a Linux/Apache2 machine for the cost of hardware and internet connectivity that you already pay for? Why pay to have a sweaty person prepare fried catfish for you when you can get it for the cost of the oil and flour.

      99.9% of free things have an alternative that the majority pay for. Air to breath is one exception, and with polution trends that may not hold up long, they already have air booths in Mexico City.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jacob, 15 Oct 2007 @ 9:19pm

    Stop it now fox!

    Ok i go on youtube Search a song that Brian from family guy sung wich was Never Gonna Give You Up it said Fox complant well 1st its a song!2nd its just on a show it aint copy writed and 3rd FAMILY GUY ISNT YOUR SHOW U KNUCKLE HEADS IT FIRST WAS Adult swims!The simpsons is yours!And futurerama not family guy Natt Groening is not in it.and if he aint in it.Its not foxs and if it was it would not be a cartoon!

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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