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Hi, Monique and everyone
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>From the distributor's point of view -- at least one distributor's -- my
point of comparison is always with textbooks.
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Distributors have always said that if professors assigned videos the way
they assign textbooks, then the price of course would drop dramatically,
even though the production costs of most documentaires are (I suspect)
far greater than producing textbooks.
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Now that video is finally being seen in most quarters in this country as
an essential part of higher education I think it's unfair to
characterize our prices as exorbitant. In most cases the amount of
royalties that distributors are able to return to producers when
compared to production costs is pathetic.
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Don't producers get income from other sources that are not open to
textbook authors? Sometimes, but I think you all know how notoriously
hard it is to sell a program to television, and the exceptions go to
prove the rule.
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Dennis has eloquently explained that you don't go into distribution for
the money.
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So my conclusion is that if higher ed is going to rely more heavily on
the use of media, then the price should probably go up.
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Whether that will happen in practice remains to be seen.
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All the best,
John
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___________________
John Hoskyns-Abrahall
Bullfrog Films
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
Toll-Free: 800/543-3764
Email: john@bullfrogfilms.com
http://www.bullfrogfilms.com <http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/>=20
Voice: 610/779-8226
Fax: 610/370-1978
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________________________________
From: videolib-bounces@library.berkeley.edu
[mailto:videolib-bounces@library.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Threatt,
Monique L
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 9:45 AM
To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu; videonews@library.berkeley.edu
Subject: [Videolib] Comments: List of Digital Streaming Companies
andlicense options
Group,
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Just my two cents.
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FYI, the grid I'm creating is more informational than anything else.
The grid will not contain every imaginable detail, but rather it's a
stepping stone for you to use as you see fit.
=20
Most companies require that you also purchase the physical copy along
with digital licensing rights. As librarians, we have a lot of power to
try and change how distributors license their rights, but that's another
discussion...well, I can't resist... =20
=20
I know colleges, universities, and corporations bear the brunt of paying
exorbitant fees for videos/DVDs. But, what bothers me most is that I
have to pay $290 for the physical copy, and then I'm being asked to pay
an additional $200 to digitize the film every one to three years.
That's highway robbery. But, like the good librarian I am, I'm going to
keep my faculty and students happy. I do hope that many distributors
will re-think their digital policies. I know businesses have to make a
profit, but it still stinks. On the other hand, there are a few decent
distributors who are not trying to squeeze every possible dollar they
can from colleges/universities, and I commend them for doing so. =20
=20
Again, I strongly encourage anyone who decides to offer streaming to
their patrons to contact the company in question for all possible
options.
=20
Best,
=20
Monique
*************************=20
Monique Threatt=20
Librarian for Media, and Communication & Culture=20
Herman B Wells Library, W121=20
Indiana University=20
Bloomington, IN 47405=20
T: (812) 855-9857=20
F: (812) 855-1649=20
E: mthreatt@indiana.edu
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