According to Ashley Highfield, the BBC's head of new media and technology, people will be watching more and more archive material over the next few years, and less 'new' programming.
As someone who really prefers so-called "archive" material over the newer stuff, I'm not too surprised by this. But what do others think? Do you watch "archive" shows? Are there archive shows you particularly want to see again, and would watch if you could?
What do you think of Ashley Highfield's predictions?
Well, I wish it were true. But it seems to me that most DVD releases in this country are of current series. Nothing wrong with that, except that it appears to be to the exclusion of archive material being made available. Given the way the BBC wiped master tapes in the past, it's not that surprising that so little is done unless pressure groups "lend a hand", e.g. the invaluable work of the Steptoe preservation society (or whatever it's called). But even 1970s stuff like The Goodies is treated very haphazardly, so what chance of seeing genuine archive classics like Misleading Cases (and I'll lead the protest march for that one)?
It's true that a lot of releases are, understandably, modern, but there's also quite a lot of older stuff coming out now too. It's going slowly, but they're getting there. Keep your eyes on Network's releases particularly; they've been very good so far.
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The thing that disappoints me with a lot of the releases of old shows is just how bad the extras are for them. It can't be a coincidence that the biggest selling comedy DVDs in the U.K. (Office, Little Britain, Red Dwarf) all have extras that range from good to superb. It's a shame that the BBC decided to release a lot of the most respected and popular comedies of all time with so little care.
There aren't necessarily anything "extra" available. And I really don't think that extras make any difference whatsoever. Those shows you mentioned are only selling so much because they're newer. I honestly do not believe for a moment that extras come into it in the way which you are implying.
Quote: Aaron @ August 31, 2006, 9:07 PMAccording to Ashley Highfield, the BBC's head of new media and technology, people will be watching more and more archive material over the next few years, and less 'new' programming.
I like a number of "archive" shows too. But I hope this won't lead to less new shows being made. The future of new British programmes made for kids' TV is already shaky, I'd hate to see sitcom go the same way. It would be bad news for writers and viewers. 
You don't think that the extras played a part in the Red Dwarf sales? If that were the case then why would the company spend money making documentaries, recording commentaries etc. I think that you're letting personal preference dictate your views here Aaron. Anyway, it's not exactly a new show.
If extras didn't play a pretty big part in DVD sales then special edition DVDs would never be released.
By the way, it is almost always possible to include something extra on DVDs. For example, The Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads DVDs were released quite recently and had no extras at all. Now surely if the company had spent just a little money then they could have recorded commentaries with Rodney Bewes, Sheila Fearn, Brigit Forsyth etc. There are also plenty of archive docs in existence if they could have gotten the rights.
Quote: Nick @ October 10, 2006, 11:26 AMThe thing that disappoints me with a lot of the releases of old shows is just how bad the extras are for them. It can't be a coincidence that the biggest selling comedy DVDs in the U.K. (Office, Little Britain, Red Dwarf) all have extras that range from good to superb. It's a shame that the BBC decided to release a lot of the most respected and popular comedies of all time with so little care.
I agree the extras in Red Dwarf are superb, that scene in the canteen where the extras are in the background pretending to eat and talk to one another was brilliant, yet not to much so you don't watch the main characters.
Quote: Nick @ October 12, 2006, 11:24 AMYou don't think that the extras played a part in the Red Dwarf sales? If that were the case then why would the company spend money making documentaries, recording commentaries etc. I think that you're letting personal preference dictate your views here Aaron. Anyway, it's not exactly a new show.
If extras didn't play a pretty big part in DVD sales then special edition DVDs would never be released.
You misunderstand my point. I'm not saying that extras play NO part, but I am disputing your direct link between having extras and having huge sales figures.
Quote: Nick @ October 12, 2006, 11:24 AMBy the way, it is almost always possible to include something extra on DVDs. For example, The Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads DVDs were released quite recently and had no extras at all. Now surely if the company had spent just a little money then they could have recorded commentaries with Rodney Bewes, Sheila Fearn, Brigit Forsyth etc. There are also plenty of archive docs in existence if they could have gotten the rights.
That's true, but for shows like that I think (or at least I think that they would be of this opinion) that the demand is different... With newer programmes (and by newer I mean past 10-15 years) it is more a case of people having watched and wanting to have the ability to watch again at any point, and so extras are produced to give the incentive to buy rather than record on one's own DVD-R, VHS or similar. With older programmes, and I'm thinking WHTTLL, Steptoe, Hancock, that kind of thing, the need and demand is different. People wouldn't have been able to record the episodes for themselves in the same way, and are more likely wanting to look back to those classic programmes of their youth which they only have a partial memory of, rather than just add to an archive or such.
Well I think that makes sense. Basically, the demand is different. Older shows can go on the strength of their reputation and not having been seen for decades. Newer ones can't.
Well I guess what we disagree on is the amount of influence that extras have on sales figures. If you said that The Office and Little Britain would have sold loads anyway then I would agree but I do think that the Red Dwarf sales show quite conclusively how much of an impact that extras can have. Is Red Dwarf really much more popular than Blackadder (which is of a similar era)? I would say no.
In some ways I can understand what you say about old shows not needing as many extras but many shows that have run for any length of time are repeated ad nauseum on UK Gold and other channels. WHTTLL, for example, has been repeated several times over the years and is certainly available to download as well.