Whedonesque : Comments on 9954 : Firefly listed in top 10 DVD sets on FOX.com.

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April 01 2006

Firefly listed in top 10 DVD sets on FOX.com. FOX.com lists their top ten DVDs on their home page, including a familiar looking brown cover. How many of those things have they sold, anyway?

C. A. Bridges | Firefly&Serenity | 00:20 CET | 16 comments total | tags: fox, dvd

I dunno, but I think it's really time for networks to realise that cult shows can make money too. Maybe not in advertising revenue on the initial broadcast, but for sure later on in DVD sales. Whatever financial shortfall FOX had from Firefly back in 2002 has surely been made up many many times over in the three years of DVD sales.

Maybe while they're at it, they could start informing advertisers that the Nielsons are bull.

mikepurvis | April 01, 00:46 CET

Chris Bridges said:

How many of those things have they sold, anyway?

Isn't that the $64,000 Question, Chis?

I'm assuming that this is the current Top 10 and not the overall, given the hype over The Family Guy DVDs.

I am heartened that a DVD from 2003 is still in the top of this and the Amazon list, while newer, flashier DVDs come and go. As the old saying goes...slow and steady wins the race.

Znachki | April 01, 00:51 CET

Contact the right people at Nielson and they'll give you their estimate for about $200. Last I heard it was 500,000 copies.

Regarding FOX making the money back - the network likely hasn't, but the studio (20th Century Fox) will have.

gossi | April 01, 00:57 CET

Have there been guestimates to how the Buffy and Angel DVDs have sold?

Simon | April 01, 00:59 CET

I wonder if Joss Whedon knows the actual figures

ChosenOne5376 | April 01, 01:21 CET

Nope, I don't believe so ChosenOne5376. Studios keep them very secret.

gossi | April 01, 02:01 CET

Gossi, if what you say is true, and I certainly believe it is, I take it that means the "estimate" offered by Nielson in exchange for hard cash is, in fact, no more than a "guess-timate" and as such is entirely unreliable.

alien lanes | April 01, 02:11 CET

It's not hard figures, for sure. Nielson track sales data for retail chains (seperate home entertainment division). They also own the company which does the TV ratings system, which is estimates.

gossi | April 01, 02:15 CET

Thanks for that info, gossi. Another question you might have an answer to. Do you know why studios are so secretive about DVD sales? All the indications are that sales have constantly increased and I would have thought they'd want to boast about their successes. For example, figures for box office receipts and music sales are readily available. I've always found the reluctance to publish DVD sales figures a bit puzzling.

alien lanes | April 01, 02:29 CET

I think it's more like 2.5 million sold since 12/2003.

Fox will never own up to the exact numbers. They know it'll make them look bad.

The Hey | April 01, 02:40 CET

Hmmm...sounds like the Watchers Council is in charge of keeping and reporting DVD sales records...

Chris inVirginia | April 01, 02:41 CET

Isn't that the $64,000 Question, Chis?

Dude, that is totally 1970's. It's $1,000,000 question now. Get with the program! :-D (And this one doesn't get canceled!)

Anyway, it's totally great to see that the Firefly DVDs are still selling so well. Long live the Browncoats!

And I just bought a Browncoat shirt from Hot Topic. Oh so shiny!

UnpluggedCrazy | April 01, 02:44 CET

They know it'll make them look bad.

Why would it make them look bad? 20th Century Fox or Fox Entertainment didn't cancel Firefly. The network did.

Simon | April 01, 04:05 CET

If anything, it'll make them look good. Look guys, we sold a bucketload of this tv show that was cancelled. Aren't we the best marketing people ever? ;-)

GVH | April 01, 05:18 CET

They certainly had some of the best marketing people ever. Still waiting for my check.

TamaraC | April 01, 05:26 CET

Dude, that is totally 1970's. It's $1,000,000 question now. Get with the program! :-D

Hey UnpluggedCrazy - it's actually totally 1950's (see game shows), and it's a classic. You can never go wrong with the classics! :-D

btw - dudette

Dashboardprophet wrote:

Do you know why studios are so secretive about DVD sales?

I'll jump in here. It's all about the royalty monies.

Znachki | April 01, 05:27 CET

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