TV show box sets, holiday titles drive up DVD sales in drug - General Merchandise

Drug Store News, Nov 3, 2003 by Doug Desjardins

Television product has emerged as the fastest-growing genre in DVD, and studios are timing the release of TV box sets for holiday shoppers, including the debut of contemporary hits like The West Wing and classics like "The Honeymooners."

TV shows are expected to generate from $800 million to $1 billion in DVD sales this year, a huge jump from 2002. And while the bulk of those sales will come from full-season sets of fan favorites like "The Simpsons and 'Friends, older shows will be a larger part of the mix.

"The 'I Love Lucy' releases sold like gangbusters, and we think 'The Honeymooners' will appeal to the same audience, said Paramount spokesman Martin Blythe. "The Honeymooners" box set with all 39 episodes will launch Nov. 4.

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Several classic shows from the 1970s will be getting a new run at retail this fall. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment released "Sanford & Son: Season 3" Oct. 7, and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has "MASH: Season 5 coming out Dec. 9. Universal Studios Home Video released another 1970s classic Oct. 21 with the first season of "Battlestar Gallactica."

But the biggest-selling titles will be current hits like Friends: Season 5" Nov. 4 and "The West Wing: The Complete First Season Nov. 18. Warner Home Video will support both box sets with the kind of big-budget ad campaigns usually reserved for hit movies.

"We've supported every 'Friends' release with a lot of advertising and marketing, and we'll do the same for 'The West Wing,'" said Rosemary Markson, executive director of TV and anime for Warner Home Video.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the second season of the MTV hit "The Osbournes" Sept. 30 and will release the second season of "Alias" Dec. 2. Like Warner, Buena Vista has concentrated on shows that appeal to a younger audience, but will roll out some older shows in the future.

"We're looking at releasing 'The Golden Girls' and 'Home Improvement' some time soon," said Lori Macpherson, vice president of brand marketing for Buena Vista.

Also on tap for the holidays are "The X-Files: Season 8" on Nov. 4 and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5" on Dec. 9 from Twentieth Century Fox. Columbia TriStar has the first season of "Married with Children" that was due Oct. 28, and DreamWorks Home Entertainment had the SciFi Channel series "Taken" for an Oct. 21 release.

Holiday DVDs

DVD titles with a holiday theme often get lost in the deluge of fourth quarter product offerings, but there are a few high-profile releases on the way.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment has the 2002 hit "The Santa Clause 2" making its DVD debut Nov. 18.

Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment also held on to its 2002 movie "Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights" for a holiday release. The Hanukkah-themed animated comedy is due Nov. 4.

Warner Home Video marked the 20th anniversary of the holiday classic A Christmas Story with its debut on DVD Oct. 7. Also arriving that day was the animated version of "A Christmas Carol" from MGM Home Entertainment, featuring the voice of Nicolas Cage.

Holiday kids' product includes the Angelina Ballerina title "The Show Must Go On, Christmas in Mouseland" from Hit Entertainment, launched Sept. 30, and the latest "Robbie the Reindeer" title from BBC Video featuring "Hooves of Fire" and "Legend of the Lost Tribe," launched Oct. 7.

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TV show box sets, holiday titles drive up DVD sales in drug - General Merchandise

Drug Store News, Nov 3, 2003 by Doug Desjardins

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