PBS Blu-ray Release Sales Are Sky High
The 'Over' series sells surprisingly well at Costco.
Washington, D.C. (May 16, 2008) -- PBS produced a nine-program High-Definition series featuring aerial footage of the United States more than 10 years ago. But the decade-old collection has suddenly become the hot new thing on Blu-ray disc at discount retailer Costco.
Video Business reports that PBS' Over California and Over America -- two of the nine parts -- have sold 40,000 Blu-ray discs since their release at Costco on March 15.
Topics Entertainment, which is distributing the discs, admits surprise at the sky-high sales numbers.
“We were nervous when the titles started coming out, because gosh, there aren’t that many Blu-ray players out there,” Topics president Greg James told Video Business.
The Over series features eye-popping aerial shots of U.S. locations set to classical music. Since the programs were shot 10 years ago, they serve both an historical and entertainment purpose; for instance, the Over New York program features the Twin Towers in New York prior to their destruction on September 11, 2001.
James speculates that Blu-ray owners are hungry for affordable titles that will show off their new players. Each Blu-ray Over title is priced at $19.95 -- $10-15 less than most Blu-ray movie releases.
Video Business reports that Target has since tested the Over series in 100 stores and Topics plans to release Over Alaska soon on Blu-ray next month.
“There was good foresight that these titles were shot in High-Definition,” James says, “even though no one had anything to play them on for 10 years.”
