Are Big Finish Missing a trick? Not any more!

[cyberchris35]

Hi,
To start with if I am startimg this in the wrong place sorry I am new to this.
Right now to explain my title, Are Big Finish missing out on getting more sales of the audio series by not making then available to download either by itunes or on thir own website. With more people owning some type of mp3 player I think it would be nice to be able to download directly to computer so then you could transfer it on to an mp3 player.
It would also be quicker for people to get the latest adventure as well and mybe they might get more people buying the audios because they could get them straight away and not have to pay the money and wait for the cd to come through the post.
Any way that's my view feel free to put me right on any thing I have typed.
Thanks for reading
Bye.
Chris.

[Pip Madeley]

Hi Chris

I've read that Big Finish are starting to offer some of their audios for download:

Big Finish Productions has announced some new releases and projects for 2008. Recently. they have begun experimenting with online digital downloads. Currently the only title available though this method is Phantom of the Opera. The forthcoming Stargate series is slated to feature this as well. There is currently no announcement on the Doctor Who line being released in this way.

[Dirk Gently]

Well you're in the right place for this question.

It's a good thought & may be in the future they will, but for me I prefer the CD in the post.



Ah, I see Pip got here first!

[cyberchris35]

Thanks for the replies, shame no news on the Dr Who front. Are the Stargate audios Big Finish are doing along the same lines as Stargate SG1 and Atlantis as I really enjoy those shows.

[Lissa]

The FAQ on their old site used to say that their licence with the BBC didn't allow them to sell downloads of Dr Who.

I don't see why it's an issue though - ripping a CD doesn't take any longer than downloading a file, in fact it's probably quicker for most people if you want a decent bitrate. The downloads wouldn't be substantially cheaper than buying a CD from Big Finish because the bulk of their costs don't come from pressing and distributing CDs, and you wouldn't be able to get them for under a tenner at Play.com.

Not to mention potential DRM issues, poor quality audio files and the online moaning when people realise they're paying the same and not getting something for their shelves.

[Antony Cox]

Loving Lissa's avatar and sig!

"I wish it was an in-growing tongue...!"

[Pip Madeley]

"I've been trying to get through to the speaking clock... Well, it's engaged... Well, it's been engaged for ten minutes. How is this possible? My wife isn't talking to it."

[Antony Cox]

[SiHart]

Good news:

Big Finish Productions has announced the launch of a new download service launching on February 1st. With this service, listeners will be able to purchase and instantly download the audio of their choice as an mp3 file to their computer.
This includes the Doctor Who, Bernice Summerfield, Sapphire and Steel, and the forthcoming Stargate series.

‘Listening habits have changed dramatically over the last ten years,’ says Company Director, Jason Haigh-Ellery. ‘More and more people are choosing to buy their music and audio online and listen to it either on their computer or on mp3 players like the iPod. We are delighted to be able to make Big Finish’s productions available in this new way’.

Jason also addressed the impact that this change will have on foreign fans. ‘We have always done our best to keep the prices as low as possible for foreign customers,’ continues Haigh-Ellery. ‘Unfortunately though, the poor exchange rate with America, Australia and other countries has made this difficult. Now though, by offering downloadable versions of our plays, we can dramatically reduce the price as there is no extra expenditure on postage, packing and materials. We’re sure that this will be good news for our foreign customers’.

With the launch of the new website at BigFinish.com on February 1st, fans will be able to sample individual episodes for a small cost. The remainder of the play will be available for simply paying the remainder of the balance. Although not available at launch, a subscription service will be introduced where customers can purchase several plays in advance of their release at a discounted rate. In addition to the plays themselves, music suites, behind-the-scenes features and copies of the scripts will also be made available for download.

Fans who prefer to continue buying their Big Finish plays on CD need not worry that online downloads will herald the end of the CD versions. All new Big Finish plays will continue to be released on CD simultaneously with the download version. The download versions will be cheaper than the CDs in all territories but CD purchasers will also be entitled to acquire the download version at no extra charge.

‘The new download service is a major step forward for Big Finish,’ says Jason Haigh-Ellery.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

music suites

Ooh! Could benefit us!

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

The download versions will be cheaper than the CDs in all territories but CD purchasers will also be entitled to acquire the download version at no extra charge.

Now that's a nice touch.

[Pip Madeley]

It's a good move to make some more money, but I can see a rise in the number of Big Finish audios floating around the Internet.

[cyberchris35]

Thanks, cannot wait for 1st Feb now. I may be able to catch up on their audios now.

[Rob McCow]

and copies of the scripts will also be made available for download.

Could benefit the McCoy listeners!

[Dirk Gently]

Subtitles?

[cyberchris35]

Scripts as well great, the news keeps getting better and better.

[Rob McCow]

I'm a bit concerned that they only made this announcement after you mentioned it, Cyberchris! Your voice must carry a lot of weight at Big Finish towers!

[cyberchris35]

Not just me Rob, Planet Skaro forums as well.

[Paul Monk]

Well thats good news. I wonder what the prices will be though and whether they'll be very much cheaper. The Phantom of the Opera download wasn't that much cheaper.

[Pip Madeley]

Downloadable Doctor Who audio dramas?!

What a stupid idea...

[Paul Monk]

It'll never work

[Rob McCow]

Ye.s

[Lissa]

The BF download service has apparently now launched. New releases are £12.99 (CD's still £14.99) while stories 1 to 25 are £7.99 (£9.99 on CD).

[Phillip Culley]

Interesting - if I go there I get prices offered in Canadian dollars ($14.99 for the new releases).

Assuming this is accurate, it appears I get the new stories offered for almost half the UK price! While fitting in with what I would pay for a double CD here, I'm sure it's something that would annoy people...

[Lissa]

It's obviously just teething troubles with their new website - they could probably afford to sell them for £7.50 each (they will get less than that per unit from Play or Amazon) but they rely on higher priced website sales to keep them going.