CBS DVD to increase its release slate
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business,01/04/2008
JAN. 4 | After multiple reorganizations, CBS DVD anticipates expanding its release slate dramatically in 2008.
The division of CBS Corp. now retains creative oversight over series from former sibling Paramount Television, including Beverly Hills 90210 and Twin Peaks, and Showtime, home of Dexter and The L Word.
Despite Viacom and CBS now being separate companies, Viacom’s Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS DVD work together, with Paramount handling sales and distribution and the two companies sharing marketing duties.
In 2008, CBS DVD is set to roll out 105 to 110 titles, representing a 13% to 18% lift from 2007 and an 80% gain over 2005.
“The [overall] category does show flattening growth compared to previous years, but that is not a testament to how viable the business is,” said Ken Ross, executive VP and general manager at CBS DVD. “We have lots of titles that we will put out that will do substantial volume.”
Ross believes in the enduring popularity of TV DVD because of the way it uniquely creates devoted consumer followings.
“I think fans are harder core and have greater loyalty for TV DVD than they do for film,” said Ross. “You have this long-term relationship with a show, where in a season, you might visit with it 20 times a year. A movie might just be a two-hour experience.”
The label predicts that its first high-definition release, the Nov. 20 HD DVD release of Star Trek: Season One, will reach 100,000 units sold. That momentum has led the company to commit to releasing all subsequent Star Trek seasons on high-def, amounting to two more HD DVD titles. That is ambitious, as most major studios are not yet heavily mining TV DVD libraries for catalog titles to release in next-gen formats.
“I think that when we are looking at catalog and some sitcoms, we don’t see [high-def] moving the dial that much, but with some of our sci-fi and action-adventure, it can be a very positive format change for us,” said Ross.
Nothing has been confirmed, but Ross speculates that CBS’ CSI is a great upcoming candidate for HD DVD release, as “it lends itself to high-def with its magnificent effects.”
Also, CBS’ first-season release of Showtime’s Dexter has sold more than 250,000 copies on standard DVD, respectable for a series that is seen by a limited number of subscribers.
Ross hopes to keep satisfying consumer demand through 2008 with the release of Duckman, a cult ’90s animated program. An online petition for the series’ DVD bow has garnered more than 7,000 signatures.
“There has been a level of fan demand for this show for a long time,” said Ross, who declined to specify exact reasons for the DVD release hold-up. “We really had to wrap our brain around figuring a way to do it.”
Exact street date or pricing has not yet been set for Duckman, but it’s possible that multiple seasons will be released within one package next year.
“Our philosophy is that we are TV, so we are going to work harder than anybody to try to find a way to put a series out if there is a demand for it,” said Ross. “We bring that same mentality to any and everything we can do.”
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| Submitted by: | Nikki Fineing (nikki@dvdlover.plus.com) 1/9/2008 1:32:41 AM PT |
| Location: | Vancouver |
| Occupation: | Student |
any chance of the following shows being released i wonder
3lbs (2006)
The Agency (2001)
Baby Bob (2002)
Bette (2000)
Big Apple (2001)
The Big Bang Theory" (2007)
The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) - Some sort of release, best of, as seasons probably too big a task
Cake (2006)
Care Bears: Adventures in Care-A-Lot (2007)
Center Of the Universe (2004)
Century City (2004)
Chicago Hope 1994)
City Of Angels (2000)
The Class (2006)
Close To Home (2005)
Clubhouse (2004)
Cold Case (2003) but only if they ever figure out the music issues which they probably wont, but I still have a glimmer of hope however small
The District (2000)
Dr Vegas (2004)
Family Law (1999)
First Monday (2002)
The Guardian (2001)
The Handler (2003)
Judging Amy (1999)
Kate Brasher (2001)
LA Doctors (1998)
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005)
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999)
Listen Up (2004)
Love Monkey (2006)
Now & Again (1999)
Out Of Practice (2005)
Queens Supreme (2003)
Robbery Homicide Division (2002)
Smith (2006)
Some Of My Best Friends (2001)
Still Standing (2002)
The Stones (2004)
That's Life (2000)
Wolf Lake (2001)
| Submitted by: | Matt Stone 1/7/2008 1:59:23 PM PT |
| Location: | Massachusetts |
| Occupation: | Accounting |
There's a bunch of Paramount shows I am eagerly awaiting - maybe this year...
Friday the 13th the Series
Special Unit 2
Seven Days
Jake 2.0
War of the Worlds (Season 2)
Paramount still owes me the first 2 eps of Jake 2.0 which were promised to me years ago for filling out a survey. They never sent out the discs and did not respond to my emails :(
-Matt
| Submitted by: | Blaiyan (legionsoulonly@netscape.net) 1/6/2008 7:06:52 AM PT |
So does this mean we could be seeing a release of Becker?
| Submitted by: | Nick Somoski 1/5/2008 4:51:38 PM PT |
That's great to hear, because there are so many TV shows on DVD from CBS?Paramount I am currently buying, including Sabrina, Family Ties, The Odd Couple, and a lot more. I guess that explains why we got early release timeframes for Sabrina the Teenage Witch and The Odd Couple, which already have a fourth season planned before the third season is out. Do you know of any other titles CBS?Paramount plan to release or continue releasing this year?
| Submitted by: | Sega Rolow 1/5/2008 3:44:14 PM PT |
| Location: | Riverside Ca |
| Occupation: | Who Cares. |
I will not buy are get any HD DVD's at all until the B.S. HD and Blu-Ray bit is done and over.And then the price of the HD players must come WAY WAY down. And the for-mat must be one, are the player must play bouth. Until then I will be just like millions of people and tell the Movie C.O. to suck it up and do the right thing. Cut the gread bit, and make the Movies and Players so the everyday guy can have one.
Until then I will be happy with my RCA 5 disc player from Wal Mart for $70.00 bucks.And my HD TV that works great with MY EVERYDAY DVD PLAYER. I will no way pay $300.00 up for some HD are Blu-Ray player only to find that the for-mat went to hell.
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