2entertain tanking?

[OmahaStar]

I just heard this on a Doctor Who podcast. I don't know all the details, and haven't heard of this "wool worth" company, but what I heard was that Wool Worth is going into the UK version of chapter 11, and they own 40% of 2entertain, the company which puts out the Doctor Who dvds. BBC is trying to raise money to buy out the 40% share, as they own 60% of it already.

Has anyone else heard about this, and if so, could you explain what the heck is going on here? I'd think with the dvd prices being as overly expensive as they are, they'd have plenty of cash sitting around.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I'd think with the dvd prices being as overly expensive as they are, they'd have plenty of cash sitting around.

Well, setting aside the question of whether classic Who DVDs make great profits given the costs involved and the limited audience, I don't believe the American DVD prices of which you're presumably complaining even represent profit to 2entertain due to the way the Region 1 DVD rights work.

Anyway, however much 2entertain makes on DVDs (it itself is probably still making a profit), other sections of Woolworths are doing poorly, so BBC Worldwide is considering buying them out of 2entertain to prevent any potential distribution problems for DVDs.

 

[captcalhoun]

'wool worth' is Woolworths, you wally, like you Americans used to have. the '5 and dime' stores. whilst the US version became Foot Locker years back, ours have still been going, but these days they're no longer doing well as everyone else does what they do, better. either Online retailers, or HMV, Waterstones or cheap brand stores like Wilkinson's and Aldi... so Woolies are in the hands of the administrators and looking for a buyer.

 

[Starkers]

I do beleive that 2Entertain is one elem,ent of Woolies that has potential so even if a buyer for the who shebang isn't found I suspect someone will by that secgment of it.

 

[wamdue]

last I heard BBC Worldwide was going to buy the other half or 2Entertain from Woolworths, seems like a good idea, if Woolworths does fold, I am sure someone will buy the other half of 2Entertain.

 

[diankra]

last I heard BBC Worldwide was going to buy the other half or 2Entertain from Woolworths, seems like a good idea, if Woolworths does fold, I am sure someone will buy the other half of 2Entertain.

The BBC is going to buy out Woolworths' share of 2Entertain if Woolworths does fold (as seems likely), but it'll take a few weeks until the fate of the rest of Woolworths is decided before any deal can go through. Today's Guardian says the asking price will be about $100 million.
More problematical for British DVD buyers is that another Woolworths owned company is the wholesaler which supplies DVDs to most of the other chains - WH Smiths, Zavvi, etc - and that's already causing some of them to run short on supplies of popular releases.

But on the central point: 2Entertain's long-term future is secure. It'll just become wholly BBc owned, taking us back to where we were two years ago before the BBC Worldwide/Woolworths joint venture was set up in the first place...

 

[wamdue]

More problematical for British DVD buyers is that another Woolworths owned company is the wholesaler which supplies DVDs to most of the other chains - WH Smiths, Zavvi, etc - and that's already causing some of them to run short on supplies of popular releases.

I couldnt believe that when I first read it, I had no idea 2Entertain was half owned by Woolworths.

 

[Winterwind]

Shocked me to learn they were partly owned by Woolworths as well.

I remember them being in Canada years ago but I think they closed up shop here in the late 70s... oh man, that just makes me feel old.

I'm sure the BBC with manage something though. At least, I hope so.

 

[wamdue]

I'm sure the BBC with manage something though. At least, I hope so.

as has been said in the long run, the BBC will buy the other half of 2Entertain, and that will solve the problem.

the problem in the short run is the avability of DVDs for other stores, and this is not the time of year to have that problem.

 

[Tomalak]

But on the central point: 2Entertain's long-term future is secure. It'll just become wholly BBc owned, taking us back to where we were two years ago before the BBC Worldwide/Woolworths joint venture was set up in the first place...

Six classic Who releases a year!

 

[Turbo]

But on the central point: 2Entertain's long-term future is secure. It'll just become wholly BBc owned, taking us back to where we were two years ago before the BBC Worldwide/Woolworths joint venture was set up in the first place...

Six classic Who releases a year!

God, I hope not, but with the Beeb's current financial situation we may be looking at that.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

I'd think with the dvd prices being as overly expensive as they are, they'd have plenty of cash sitting around.

Well, setting aside the question of whether classic Who DVDs make great profits given the costs involved and the limited audience, I don't believe the American DVD prices of which you're presumably complaining even represent profit to 2entertain due to the way the Region 1 DVD rights work.

I'd figure 2entertain is making a tidy profit on the R1 stuff as well. I can't imagine who else would be getting that money instead. I know Warner Bros. used to be Doctor Who's American distributor but I haven't seen their name on any BBC DVDs in a while. It's all just 2entertain & BBC.

 

[Turbo]

I'd think with the dvd prices being as overly expensive as they are, they'd have plenty of cash sitting around.

Well, setting aside the question of whether classic Who DVDs make great profits given the costs involved and the limited audience, I don't believe the American DVD prices of which you're presumably complaining even represent profit to 2entertain due to the way the Region 1 DVD rights work.

I'd figure 2entertain is making a tidy profit on the R1 stuff as well. I can't imagine who else would be getting that money instead. I know Warner Bros. used to be Doctor Who's American distributor but I haven't seen their name on any BBC DVDs in a while. It's all just 2entertain & BBC.

Warner is still the distributor for all of the US BBC DVDs; they just don't have their name on the packaging. They used to produce the discs as well which is why the older ones have their information. It's a similar arrangement to the Fox-distributed MGM DVDs.

Reportedly, the US DVD sales are a complete non-factor for R2 release decisions on the Classic series, as said sales are so low.

 

[Leroy]

How bad is it? Do I have to worry about my dream of owning every R1 release of the Pertwee era Dalek stories not being realized?

 

[Turbo]

No, as has been said several times, the Beeb will buy out Woolworth's share of 2|e. However, you may have to wait a few more years for the Pertwee stories.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I'd figure 2entertain is making a tidy profit on the R1 stuff as well. I can't imagine who else would be getting that money instead.

I can't either, but someone associated with the DVD production said that 2entertain wouldn't be considering R1 sales in the decision whether or not to animate further missing episodes as that income doesn't factor into their business decisions. It wasn't clear what the details of that were (whether it's because the rights send the money elsewhere or because they make so little), but I'd say the statements of those in a position to know trump what you or I would figure.

 

[Turbo]

I seem to remember Steve Roberts saying they only move about 10,000 or so units of a 'normal' Classic DVD in the UK, and that the US numbers don't come close to matching it. IIRC, Genesis of the Daleks and The Invasion are the only two serials that broke 30,000; the former because it's Genesis of the Daleks and the latter because of the animation. The Invasion didn't even come close to making back the cost of the animation after all the other expenses, which is why no other animated episodes will be produced in the near future.

 

[Rarewolf]

I had no idea 2Entertain was half owned by Woolworths.

40% IIRC.

Before that Woolworths just had a lot of other distribution rights, while BBC Worldwide just had (generally) the BBC stuff.

So if BBC Worldwide did own 100% of 2|E you might not need the name 2|E anymore.