kayizm

From


http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/index.cfm


Agreement over music costs could not be reached


Following up on our news item from a week ago, we have further word from Miami-Vice.org. Michael Denzel from Universal Entertainment sent Miami-Vice.org a note through that site's owner, Randolph Beekman, explaining about the reasons why Miami Vice DVDs will not be forthcoming. Here are the pertinent portions of that note:

"We understand your want and need for the release of Miami Vice on DVD format. However, as we have been attempting to make this possible, it has become nearly impossible due to music clearance/royalties involved in satisfying the artists/musicians. This issue was a MAJOR contingency for the production of consumer DVD boxed sets from other popular shows as you may have noticed in your local retail stores right now. Although Miami Vice was very popular in the early to mid 1980s, there were MANY songs from various artists utilized in the production of the series as every one of you should know. Unfortunately, at this moment there are NO plans of releasing Miami Vice on DVD. We are very sorry...we have NO intention of releasing Miami Vice onto DVD at anytime in the near future."


While this is disappointing news, it clearly is not Universal's fault that the costs outside of their control prevent DVD sets from being produced at a price they expect consumers to pay. We must agree that there is no sense in releasing this series on DVD if it means consumers will have to fork over extraordinary amounts of money for it.

We appreciate that Universal took the time to explain this to the users at Miami-Vice.org, and we don't mind passing the information along to fans of the show who aren't visitors of that website. Don't shoot us; we're just the messenger here. Please understand that Universal is not the bad guy here, either, so don't take it out on them. Mr. Denzel explains in his note about the "enormous amount of email that pours into (Universal's) servers and has caused MANY problems for us and MANY FALSE rumors that has created VERY hateful and negative feedback sent to Universal in retort." We at TVShowsOnDVD encourage anyone who wishes to address this matter to Universal please do so in a polite, positive manner - no matter what method you use to contact them.

However, it seems that further contact with Universal will not improve the situation: they are obviously well-aware of interest in the show being released. The cost factor is simply out of their hands. If you want to be informed of any changes to this situation, you can keep an eye on Miami-Vice.org. Mr. Denzel at Universal assures that site's membership that he will keep in touch: "My promise to you (The Fans); I (Michael Denzel) will personally inform Mr. Randolph Beekman of ANY possible developments in the next few years. I personally like this site and the way it has been created. I can promise that much to you PERSONALLY as long as I am able to with clearance for the public eye."

If we at TVShowsOnDVD become aware of a change, we will of course pass it along. In the meantime, please enjoy thousands of other great TV series available in your favorite home video format.

Jackskeleton

But it's on TNN all the time.

The Exister

*sigh*

chanster

Please. They could get the rights and it wouldn't be much more than a lot of other shows that need to pay royalties. Its a cop out.

Geofferson

Damn.

lesterlong

That stinks, yet another reason why the entire music industry needs to burn in hell.

Alien Redrum

My thoughts exactly.

mikewendt

that sucks

KWilliamTaylor

although I don't subscribe to the notion .. no wonder why piracy reigns free. blame it on the music industry once again.

Supreme Sean

Makes me glad I taped the episodes.

James " Sonny " Crockett is the best t.v. cop ever!

JIF

Other shows don't usually include the original pop music ~ Miami Vice was a landmark series that had original artists' music.

Knight Rider, for instance, always played bad karaoke versions of popular music.

I'm not surprised that Universal is having trouble securing music royalties.

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by JIF
Other shows don't usually include the original pop music ~ Miami Vice was a landmark series that had original artists' music.

...and LOTS of it.

Maybe once someone puts together a "homemade" DVD set for sale to interested fans the "parties" involved would see how ridiculous the whole "rights" controversy is and come to some sort of agreement...

Losing $$$ talks...

danol

I have the pilot With Sonny and Tubbs meeting and workin together. There is another Vhs out called Miami Vice: The Prodical Son. Thanks for the news I'll go look for it.
________________________________________

Edit I have just bought 1 new Miami Vice VHS, I also bought a new and 1 used of Miami Vice 2: The Prodical Son with Pam Grier.


P.S. I am sorry for those who want the series, in 1985 when I got a MTS set top box converter this show came in as Stereo sound. I was absolutely thrilled in May and crippled in June. Man sitting there with my big speakers all tweaked and great timbre, married to my #42-2108 ratshack super reverberator.


I didn't care about my injuries seeing those gals and listening to stereo off a monaural TV. 18 + years ago I was the only one in my city, for about a month as I bought their show room demonstrater within 30 minutes of setting it up. Impulse buying yup, I had to have it set up in my 'pad'. YO

DJ_Spyder

Well there you have it not only does Universal says FY to the Miami Vice fans but the music industry does too like that comes at a big suprise I'm rally steamed by this news.

Rogue588

For some reason [and it could possibly be JUST ME thinking like this], but I don't know if it's Universal's fault. Based on past instances, i'd blame the RIAA before i'd blame Universal...

I could be wrong..

JoeyOhhhh

How big a hand does the RIAA have when it comes to studios negotiating music clearance rights?

You have to excuse my ignorance on the issue, I know very little about how that works (like why some movies/shows have issues and some dont).

Any general info is appreciated.

JIF

I’m fortunate to own "Mirror Image" the 3 parter that has Crockett thinking he's his alter ego Sonny Burnett after an explosion leaves him with amnesia. Unbeknownst of his friendship with Tubbs, the episodes have Crockett gunning for his former partner who he now believes is his mortal enemy.

Of all the Miami Vice episodes, this is the gem to own on videotape (incidentally, Julia Roberts makes a special appearance as a mob moll).

Buck Turgidson

It's an extreme measure, and would impact this series especially, but has anyone considered the idea of simply excising the music and replacing it, or skipping it altogether? As I said, I know it's extreme, but as a compromise half measure, it might be the only way to see these out.

I have no real interest in this particular show, but this nonsense simply has to stop. The AMPAS needs, for once, to face reality and stop chopping off it's nose to spite it's face.

Josh-da-man

What happens with music in TV shows and movies is that when these things are being made, they pay the artists/copyright holders of the music for permission to use the music in said program.

The catch is, historically, the music isn't always cleared for release on home video, including VHS and DVD. Which means if a movie or TV show has twenty seconds of a pop song playing in it, then they need to renegotiate with the rights holder to release the program (with the music intact) to home video.

However, with the advent of home video, these rights are now negotiated in the contracts in pretty much all new productions.

But if something came out before home video became the norm, then it becomes problematic. This isn't only something that effects television programming, but the occasional movie as well. I know that it took a very long time to release Heavy Metal to home video due to music rights.

It's probably much easier to work with movies because a movie is only about two hours long and has a pretty limited number of artists/songs to be concerned with, so they can generally be worked out. And even then, movie soundtracks with lots of songs didn't really appear until around the time home video took off, so most of these rights will be taken care of. But releasing massive amounts of TV programming on DVD is something new, and lots of shows don't have the music clearance.

A television program like Miami Vice, though, just for one season we're looking at potentially one hundred different songs that need to be cleared per season. It's a relatively small pie, and lots of people want to put their fingers into it.

One solution is to release the television programming with the music either removed or replaced. I think they had to do some of this with Felicity.

But, in order to release programs like Miami Vice or WKRP onto DVD would mean clearing lots of music and could easily run into millions of dollars, which would mean that the DVD sets would have to be priced at a higher tier in order for the studios to recoup. And, the higher the price on the DVD sets, the less they will sell, so it's a pretty much a no-win situation.

DeadLamb

Geeesh.. sad when music rights holds up DVD's (happens more and more now)... being I just see it as greed on the part of who ever holds the rights to the music.. Odds are in this case it's all 3rd or maybe even 12th party holders to the rights and not the artist etc..

Granted the music is part of the show but in these sort of cases, we are talking about a 2min clip of a given tune as the bad guy looks out some boat window or something.. it really should just be NO big deal..

The biggest music rights issue use to just be mis-use of the music.. For example I would NOT want my music (if I made any) to be used in some car ad or whatever.. or stolen for a rap tune.. but if some tune was used in a show (one out of a TON of eps) seems sort of lame to hold up the over all show just for my one little tune..

eh.. down side of rights changing hands, the companies just see them as an investment and not the "protection of the art".. other wise this would be no big deal.. Tunes were used in the show, still being used in the show.. not really a mis-use..

Oh well......

cajun_junky

I never really thought about buying a movie series but Miami Vice would definitely be a top pick for me. I loved that show.

Yes, reruns are still played but I like being in control of what I watch and when I watch it.

As others have mentioned, it is another prime example of the music industry intruding on our lives.

danol

The pilot they had Gregory Sierra as their boss, and in "Miami Vice: The Prodical Son" Edward James Olmos was their boss and the rest of the series.



P.S. E. J. Olmos was Eddie in the recent DVD release "Wolfen" with Albert Finney (Looker) and Diane Venora (The Jackal).

TREX1993

I've heard rumors that this is the same issue holding up The Wonder Years on DVD... ALL the 60s and 70s music they played with each episode (usually two or three different hit songs from the era).

Grrrr.......

Puzznic

Have they ever considered doing some sort of revenue sharing in these cases. Like have a certain percentage of the DVD revenue to be devided among the music holders. Then again the music holders are most likely to stubborn. They're holding out for that million dollar check thats never coming

salamander2

Actually WOLFEN too fell victim to this. When this was at the theatres and its first cable airing, there is a scene where Finney and venora walks into a restaurant, and a Tom Waite tune is heard. For home video and LD, that scene is cut out, as someone else stated, there was never a contract for LD or VHS. I am not sure if the DVD restored that shot.

I believe even the MIAMI VICE videos have music rescored as well. Of course, the problem is, even with 80's show like VICE and WONDER YEARS, they COULD have agreed to a music deal for Video and LD, but in the 80's and to late 90's NO ONE ever thought of DVD (did you knew what a DVD was in the 80's and early to mid 90's? Of course not) , which opens up new contracts for music issues.