Michael Alden
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2005
- Messages
- 825
I saw this thread going on the American Life (formerly GoodLife TV) forum. This network, which unfortunately few people get, runs a ton of Warners programming ranging from the 50s westerns and detective shows up to modern stuff like China Beach. Anyways, here are a few tidbits I found:
In a dramatic reorganization, Warner Home Video has swept out division topper Jim Cardwell and established a new parent company for the unit, dubbed Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
Ron Sanders, previously executive VP-general manager at Warner Home Video, was promoted to WHV president. He will report to newly upped Kevin Tsujihara, previously a Warner business development and new media exec who has been tapped as president of the new Home Entertainment Group.
The HEG unit will encompass DVD operations as well as digital-delivery activities such as online, wireless, games and anti-piracy systems.
They shit-canned this fool for NOT putting out the TV shows. A cash strapped Warners is going to take an AGGRESSIVE approach to releases next year. You will see everything worth seeing coming out of the Vaults.
There had been pushes to utilize the dormant TV library to generate revenue and Cardwell didn't move in the direction Warners wanted him to go. After the success of Smallville and several other series boxes, Warner wanted to release older shows that they would not have to pay any royalties on released. This didn't happen.. A change was called for and has now occured.
The sales of Adventures of Superman are much stronger than originally thought, proving there is a market for the old B&W stuff.
The Cheyenne and Maverick discs have sold well enough that there will be another set.
If they sell at the same pace or better, Seasons will be released with extras..
F Troop sold better than expected as well.
The folks at Warner are trying to generate cash flow and are willing to use ALL of there resources to get it. You can also look for a string of OLDER movies to come out of Warners next year. Thay are opening up the library and will put out ANYTHING they think will sell enough units to be profitable. So 2006 looks bright for Warner TV fans
According to sources at Warners, the cost of cleanup is negligible. Most of the shows like Colt .45 will need to have NEW prints struck from the negatives. These will then be digitized and transferred to a master. The shows with the higher demand will be done first and then the other stuff will trickle down. Warners took a look at ebay and saw how much money was changing hands for really mediocre quality copies of their product and cracked down. This illicit traffic also showed the profit potential in releasing this stuff legit.
It may be awhile before The Gallant Men, Roaring Twenties, The Alaskans, and other second tier product shows up, but at least the big shows are on track to come out. Don't hold your breath for Bourbon Street Beat to come out any time soon. It's on the same track as Gallant Men etc.
The exception to the rule is the Dakotas. Even though it only lasted 20 episodes, there is a demand for it and it should come out at the end of the top shelf stuff. (77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, Cheyenne, Maverick, etc.) The rule of thumb is, the longer the show lasted and the more episodes there are, the more likely it will be released and higher up in the pecking order. There will be far more shows in 2006 than there were in 2005. Warners is even putting out the Flash which only lasted 22 episodes. You can preorder it now for Jan. release as well as Adventures Of Superman vol.2 (Jan.17, 2006) Also coming next year is Shazam (Capt. Marvel) and Superboy.
You can look for another F-Troop disc as well. If it sells season 1 will follow in late 2006 or early 2007.
On the Maverick side, there is talk of a James Garner best of a Jack Kelly best of and a Roger Moore best of.. Then the seasons.
One thing they don't mention is WB also owns the old MGM library (not to be confused with the new MGM that was previously UA and was bought by Sony). Shows falling under that category would be Man from UNCLE, Dr. Kildare, Daktari, Medical Center, Courtship of Eddie's Father, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Mr. Novak, Thin Man, The Lieutenant, Flipper and many others.
In a dramatic reorganization, Warner Home Video has swept out division topper Jim Cardwell and established a new parent company for the unit, dubbed Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.
Ron Sanders, previously executive VP-general manager at Warner Home Video, was promoted to WHV president. He will report to newly upped Kevin Tsujihara, previously a Warner business development and new media exec who has been tapped as president of the new Home Entertainment Group.
The HEG unit will encompass DVD operations as well as digital-delivery activities such as online, wireless, games and anti-piracy systems.
They shit-canned this fool for NOT putting out the TV shows. A cash strapped Warners is going to take an AGGRESSIVE approach to releases next year. You will see everything worth seeing coming out of the Vaults.
There had been pushes to utilize the dormant TV library to generate revenue and Cardwell didn't move in the direction Warners wanted him to go. After the success of Smallville and several other series boxes, Warner wanted to release older shows that they would not have to pay any royalties on released. This didn't happen.. A change was called for and has now occured.
The sales of Adventures of Superman are much stronger than originally thought, proving there is a market for the old B&W stuff.
The Cheyenne and Maverick discs have sold well enough that there will be another set.
If they sell at the same pace or better, Seasons will be released with extras..
F Troop sold better than expected as well.
The folks at Warner are trying to generate cash flow and are willing to use ALL of there resources to get it. You can also look for a string of OLDER movies to come out of Warners next year. Thay are opening up the library and will put out ANYTHING they think will sell enough units to be profitable. So 2006 looks bright for Warner TV fans
According to sources at Warners, the cost of cleanup is negligible. Most of the shows like Colt .45 will need to have NEW prints struck from the negatives. These will then be digitized and transferred to a master. The shows with the higher demand will be done first and then the other stuff will trickle down. Warners took a look at ebay and saw how much money was changing hands for really mediocre quality copies of their product and cracked down. This illicit traffic also showed the profit potential in releasing this stuff legit.
It may be awhile before The Gallant Men, Roaring Twenties, The Alaskans, and other second tier product shows up, but at least the big shows are on track to come out. Don't hold your breath for Bourbon Street Beat to come out any time soon. It's on the same track as Gallant Men etc.
The exception to the rule is the Dakotas. Even though it only lasted 20 episodes, there is a demand for it and it should come out at the end of the top shelf stuff. (77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, Cheyenne, Maverick, etc.) The rule of thumb is, the longer the show lasted and the more episodes there are, the more likely it will be released and higher up in the pecking order. There will be far more shows in 2006 than there were in 2005. Warners is even putting out the Flash which only lasted 22 episodes. You can preorder it now for Jan. release as well as Adventures Of Superman vol.2 (Jan.17, 2006) Also coming next year is Shazam (Capt. Marvel) and Superboy.
You can look for another F-Troop disc as well. If it sells season 1 will follow in late 2006 or early 2007.
On the Maverick side, there is talk of a James Garner best of a Jack Kelly best of and a Roger Moore best of.. Then the seasons.
One thing they don't mention is WB also owns the old MGM library (not to be confused with the new MGM that was previously UA and was bought by Sony). Shows falling under that category would be Man from UNCLE, Dr. Kildare, Daktari, Medical Center, Courtship of Eddie's Father, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Mr. Novak, Thin Man, The Lieutenant, Flipper and many others.