For this overseas customer, the download purchase is a big incentive. The shows are worth the CD price, but it's easier to fit a download into my budget. Not only does BF get more of my money per purchase with the downloads, they're getting more purchases period.

For what it's worth, you probably have one of the smartest approaches to dealing with the Torrents that I've seen: you treat your customers well.

There's not really anything you can do about people who pirate who think they have a right to free entertainment. But the more people who are on the fence who think "Hey, these guys are all right," the better off you are. And I've seen evidence that companies that don't treat their customers well will mostly lead those too principled to pirate to go without the product.

wow. I for one appreciate the fact that you all continue to do this knowing that you are facing such odd in the sales of the stories.



So what happens when someone buys from a US retailer as opposed to directly from the Big Finish site? or even has a subscription with them? Do you get as much per story or do you get less because of this? Being in the US means that for some things it's easier to buy from a US based place as they shipping is less and the ship time is shorter, but I would hate to think that this means that we are reducing chances to see more audios one day.

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Brian A. Terranova
http://www.Kasterborous.com
A Doctor Who Webzine

This is the problem I have with torrent sites why would anyone give away something they've spent their hard earned money on. But I think I'm answering my own question. Is it hard earned or are these simply "Pocket Money Pirates", with no appreciation of the economic damage being done to smaller companies like BF?

I couldn't agree more. Even though I'd DO the exact same thing with CD's and downloads... merge the tracks and make an iPod file out of them; I have a mental block about paying money to download something.

(It should be noted, I also have a mental block about paying full price for anything, as well. So I tend to load up on stuff when it's on sale.)

Try a search for "big finish torrent" - there are sites offering the whole collection for download. So while individual shows may have relatively small download numbers, they all mount up.

Filesharing sites like Limewire. They don't show up in Google searches but most people use them

BF's main customer base is probably more like people such as myself who buy a couple various different titles at a time in which a diverse selection is more suitable to attract different audiences. I myself like the various line-ups as I have bought titles from the Stargate series, companion chronicles, the main line, 8th adventures, and the Gallifrey series. A person who wants to buy everything especially in this economy is more likely at the extreme side of the curve.

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"Oil an emergency?! It's about time the leaders of this planet of yours realised that to remain dependent upon a mineral slime simply doesn't make sense."
—The Doctor "Terror Of The Zygons" (1975)

Lunch? That can't cost that much.
Also, how much would that be in 60s standards, is it cheaper than the 2,500 pounds that they got?

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31st December 2008: Return of the Krotons "You will be dispersed!"

They should add a recipe section to this site.

That's really generous of you to be so understanding about it, and I appreciate it. Thank you.

Some more thoughts on torrenting, from personal experience:

Given the abundance of media available via torrents, the thought of damaging a small company is not always on the forefront of the downloader's mind (if at all). In the case of the Doctor Who plays, many people are just grabbing anything and everything that's labeled "Doctor Who" - because 1) it's free, and 2) they're fueled by a fan excitement that goes hand in hand with the advent of the new series. "Oh, I need this week's episode, and hey, there's Confidential, and I'll check out this promotional interview appearance, and say, what's 'Big Finish'?" The lines become easily blurred since there's a "kid in a candy store" feeling, and one isn't always fully aware of the trickle-down economic effect on the smaller guys.

Another thing that's perhaps worth considering is that the new Doctor Who TV series has generated an overwhelming amount of tie-in merchandising. Action figures (including limited editions/variants), toy props, reference guides, comic books, novels, audiobooks, bath soap, etc. Factor in things like DVD releases, DW Magazine, and then the steadily increasing stream of classic Doctor Who merchandise (mainly DVDs and CD audiobooks), and there's suddenly a lot more competition for those monthly Doctor Who-related purchase funds. There's the desire to want to keep up, and it's easy to forget that we as fans don't have a "right" to things like the audios.

I fully understand your point about not wanting to be whiny or authoritarian in getting the message out, but if the stuff is getting out there anyway, perhaps a brief gentle appeal on the occasional release (placed in conjunction with the trailers?) would make a difference? Something friendly and to the point, like, "Hello, this is Paul McGann, thanking you for your continued support of Big Finish Productions. If you downloaded this play and enjoyed it, please consider showing your support by purchasing it on CD or digital download at bigfinish.com." I don't think that would sound whiny at all. It would acknowledge a difficult reality, and might clue someone in that hadn't otherwise considered it.

Speaking for myself, if I'd downloaded something and suddenly heard one of the Doctors (or Benny, Sapphire and Steel, etc.) asking me to consider doing the right thing in paying for it, I would have done so and/or at least stopped downloading plays much earlier than I did.

Again, just a humble suggestion. :) Thanks again!