From an article on Discovery's management:
Animal (Planet) is one of the companys only global networks but lags far behind bigger siblings Discovery and TLC in the ratings (in July, Animal averaged 542,000 total viewers in prime versus Discoverys 1.38 million and TLCs 1.03 million), according to Nielsen..

The report is that AP viewer ship has been "flat" since 2007. The charge to Discovery is to significantly increase that number.

Animal (Planet) saw big ratings success with last summers Meerkat Manor (premiere episodes averaged 856,000 total viewers) and launched an aggressiveand uncharacteristically sassy (print ads evoked The Sopranos with the tagline The Family Is Back)marketing campaign behind its Aug. 10 return.

I can't help but wonder if showing Flower's The Story Begins on AP is to be part of the resolution.

ZTM, I have a cure for your coffee woes. I have been known to keep a bowl or jar filled with chocolate covered coffee beans. You will get the caffeine jolt you need and the comfort of chocolate as well. I gave one or two to a friend who didn't usually drink coffee and she started bouncing off the walls in a few minutes.

Now about the more serious stuff. I am dissapointed that the movie is only going to come out in DVD. I was really hoping to see a whole new group of Meerkat fans coming out. We need more people to help us get some of these zoos more Meerkat friendly.

But I have always been a dreamer, I guess I will have to be happy to see Flowers story told and to have another visit with the formidable Flower.

[quote]I can't help but wonder if showing Flower's The Story Begins on AP is to be part of the resolution.[/quote]
When you say part of the "resolution" you are not speaking resolution as in final solution - the end, are you? I am hoping what you mean is that the resolution to bring back AP to higher ratings. However, this is all too strange as well because they show so few episodes of MM - especially if it bounced their ratings so much. You are right, what is going on in the mind of those exects? Common sense is what they lack and need. We want more MM!
And....... does this mean that it will not come on DVD to our Brit Burrow mates?????? If they use the same DVD as we do, we can supply the Brit burrow mates.

Nightweaver,
I laid my last egg 32 years ago!

I think that they are making a mistake, that the movie would have been much more successful than their research showed.

But...what do I know?

It all comes down to dollars. Money rules; instead of meerkats rule.

I am sure there will be something available for our UK friends. After all MM was first shown there.

Hi bischonmom!

I'm half a century! I think that makes me an adolescent Redwood? Let's all keep our paws crossed that the movie will be released in theaters. Hopefully the "powers that be" will agree with an earlier post that there are not enough family movies and most family-oriented movies do very well. See you around the burrow!

NW67675

This does not compute. If MM is such a runaway and unexpected success, why are they shying away from it?

I've been having the same thought as Bischonmom, if the show is the success it is, doesn't it make sense to release it in theaters and grow the audience? You would think so. It makes me wonder in the current movie climate when so many bomb and so few succeed, maybe AP is worries that a bad box office showing could damage their biggest hit show ever.

And don't worry about our friends overseas. Even if the dvd is not released in the U.K. they can still but it on the U.S. Amazon site and watch it. All they need is a region free dvd player.

Yllohc- Thanks for the tip. Any ideas for getting the most caffine into my system in the shortest period of time is always appreciated!

My impression is that it takes an enormous budget to market and distribute a film to theaters. I would guess that's the major problem, though I don't understand why they agreed to make the movie at all if they didn't plan to release it. Is it cold feet at the last minute or a vote of no confidence after seeing it?

We need an industry insider to find out the scoop.

I suspect it is cold feet, but still comes down to the money. All of Weinstein's movies go to DVD. I wonder if they ever planned on releasing it to the public at all? There is a serious disconnect here.

I am also hearing the BBC movie The Meerkats, also a Weinstein production, will only be released in certain countries:

France Oct. 15, 2008 & Russia Dec 25, 2008

Can you believe this?

Out to buy the Big Screen TV....Wonder if Weinstein owns all of them?

kach5503

I don't think it's a vote of no confidence after seeing it. This has to do with a bad script, bad acting, etc.; nothing applicable here.


The airing of the movie on AP just before MM season 4 will boost MM, and especially AP ratings (which is the management's objective).

ccatz,

No, I can't believe that France and Russia would be among the countries included in the selected release of the BBC movie The Meerkats.

ok, i got the perfect dream voice for the movie........... DICK VITALE (espn basketball analyst). he gets so excited calling the games, he would be great calling an inter group skirmish! and i would like to know who his prime time players and diaper dandees are

France and Russia only?!! The news just keeps getting more bizarre.

I went back and re-read ccatz' original post, which quotes an "executive producer at Oxford films" (OSF, which also films MM) saying "Sadly, Animal Planet has decided not to release it which, as you can imagine, we're all very sad about as it's a beautiful film..."

It seems clear that even the filmmakers believed until very recently that the movie would be released to theaters. Was this decision made only by Animal Planet executives? Maybe it is based on a combination of lower overhead cost and a ratings boost for AP, as Zettak said.

I sure wish an insider would leak the real reason(s).

[quote]It makes me wonder in the current movie climate when so many bomb and so few succeed, maybe AP is worries that a bad box office showing could damage their biggest hit show ever.[/quote]
Zaph,
That's the only thing that sounds like it can come what "close" to logic.
Bobbie

An afterthought, I'm famous for that, as everyone said, it doesn't make sense they didn't have this grand tribute to our Flower. Why? It seems they don't want to do more than air 10 (or whatever low number) of episodes yearly? Even if they do think that if this movie bombed (how with legions of MM fans?) it would hurt their big success, would not a tribute to our Flower - in a time when we were all hurting and verbal on this board - surely have done a lot to boost their ratings? Nothing of this makes sense!

[quote]That's the only thing that sounds like it can come what "close" to logic.[/quote]

I admire that you are able to call it logic of any type.. I would be eternally banned from this board were I to give my true opinion.

The original post also suggests the following course of action:

"Perhaps you and your fellow Meerkat Manor should start a campaign! ;-)"

There is sincere disappointment on the part of Oxford Films. I do believe it is a lovely film.

Dear Peeps I am just devasted over this news of Flower's movie not being released to the theaters. I moved five months ago and I have only been able to watch the series via the computer when they were runing the video streams. It has been a long few months without my sweet little fur friends. I was soooo looking forward to this Movie to see my Flower. This brings me to tears. I also would love to thank you ALL for all of the snippets I received on here about about the kats. I am a senior citizen and don't have the extra money to join the Friends site, or cable to watch the program on so it just feels so defeating but I keep hanging in there. I was blind sited by Flowers death and afterwards I found this forum. My friends and family think I am so silly for grieving over Flower and the rest of these little fellows, it is comforting to know I am not the only older person touched by these little guys. You all are great !!! OK back I go into my little burrow.
Jerrie

Hi pikamom!

Like you, I found this chat after JE. I love the info on the kats and really appreciate everyone sharing.

You are not the only person, young or old who loves these dear little meerkats. I was touched by some of the children on the Memorial. They were so intelligent and their insight was astounding.

I certainly hope that the movie will be released.

Keep hanging in there!!!

NW67675

Please pikamom do come to talk with us again. We at least are on your computer and love to chat about meerkats...even in these disappointing times. It is what keeps us going, cuddles with each other. ♥♥♥

()=() ()-() ()=() ()-()
('Y') (':') (^;^) ('&')
q . p d . b C C c . c
()_() ()_() ()_() ()=()

My teddy bears are just abit out of alignment, but not as bad as I thought would happen.

Use your imagination!

Picamom,
I like you and certainly hope we hear from you on a regular basis.
Bobbie

I'm trying not to write it off as an animal planet decision until we hear otherwise, but... I must say, their marketing and promo of the last year or so has been a very mixed bag. Some of their works and decisions have been genius, but much of the rest have made me cringe (like the new logo, sans elephant -- it looks like they're trying too hard to be edgy and appeal to more of the male demographic).

Good point zero, if I didn't know better I would think you wrote this...

"We think theres an opportunity to make Animal Planet more must-see TV, says Kaplan, more hot, more socially relevant, more tuned in to the entertainment values people watch television for.

In this springs upfront, Animal Planet signed deals in categories new to the network, including automotive and insurance, and a major retailer; with programming focused on animals, rather than human personalities, in an effort to lure new viewers and advertisers."

More viewers ...more ads...more money.

I am not giving up yet either. I still plan to see the movie in a theater...somewhere on this planet!

It seems to me that it was an AP decision not to release the movie to theaters. Perhaps it was not their original intention, but it happened along the way.
Other movies (that were not animated) were very successful. The March of the Penguins is one example. So, I don't understand AP's problem. Then again, I do. Ratings, money.

Contact call! Chirp, burr, whurr, bark, Contact Call! Read what Glitter wrote a day or two ago!