The Official Network Thread

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

One wonders how much people knowing EVERY Network title would go down so low and within a year or so led to the financial issues. Their backer who passed on could subsidise losses but if those losses were, well, lesser? May have been more viable for a business saviour to come in.

It must not have helped that over the previous 10 years or so HMV closed many of its branches and Simply Home Entertainment, a mail order DVD/CD catalogue company, closing in circa 2021, which stocked many Network titles, so the type of Network customer who did not order online were cut off.

The redesign of the Network website didn't help either as you could not find things on there easily as before.

I always wondered how Network managed with such a vast catalogue of titles, so many varied and obsecure titles all needing to be warehoused. They started to release more recent TV shows like Fortean TV and Eurotrash, which I expect was to expand their customer base to appeal to a younger collector. But how could they make money on a 91 DVD disc set of Crossroads for £130? It must have been a labour of love.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Modman

Revenge cost me the princely sum of £4.73 in 2018. I need to build a time machine, go back 6 years and buy a container load!

Also set the time machine controls for 2016 with another container for The Sweeney series 1 BDs going for around £12.

£4.73 for Revenge and that would have been free P&P as well.

[fatboyslim142]

I was at the London Film Fair today (Yesterday 14th) & ended up speaking to a seller (who sold Network stuff among other things) about Network's demise & they said that Network had taken someone, who was a regular seller at the fair to court due to him doing DVD-Rs of their stuff & reckon he'd cost them about £125K which contributed to their demise.

The seller also said the person taken to court basically had to pay nearly what Network reckoned he cost them in various costs, think it was £7K fine, £70K for something else which I've forgotten, & a third of £40K which I also can't remember what it was for.

[Mr. Thomsen]

Originally Posted by Number 28

Have you managed to find a copy of Revenge?

A real gem of a film, with James Booth, Joan Collins, Kenneth Griffith released by Network back in 2016.

Chalkys are selling the DVD for just under £9.

There is a Blu-ray version, like new condition, going for a reasonable £18 or offers on ebay, not the usual £50+.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375343875...Bk9SR4TVidLVYw

Hey, thanks for alerting me to this. Somewhat embarrassingly, I incurred the well-deserved wrath of a mod due to a slightly heated argument over at the US forum and was put on a 14 days suspension, so I only just saw your post now. But I really do appreciate your help.

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

I was at the London Film Fair today (Yesterday 14th) & ended up speaking to a seller (who sold Network stuff among other things) about Network's demise & they said that Network had taken someone, who was a regular seller at the fair to court due to him doing DVD-Rs of their stuff & reckon he'd cost them about £125K which contributed to their demise.

The seller also said the person taken to court basically had to pay nearly what Network reckoned he cost them in various costs, think it was £7K fine, £70K for something else which I've forgotten, & a third of £40K which I also can't remember what it was for.

Network had the operational problems going on. I still feel Network wasn't being effectively run properly as a company. Beddows death was a blow, but the company had other issues going on under the surface. Network did undersell their product considerably, and the sales were testament to that. The whole way the company went was odd. I'm certain one day, someone will break the silence.


Network's loss is too great, even though Imprint in Australia have recently acquired a number of British shows. Network's dedication to restoration was considerable, and the cost of such undertakings were great. Now, British TV obscurities will be a thing of the past. Simply Media and Network were committed to releasing archival material from the BBC and Channel 4, but now its highly unlikely that rare archival material will be released on physical.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

Hey, thanks for alerting me to this. Somewhat embarrassingly, I incurred the well-deserved wrath of a mod due to a slightly heated argument over at the US forum and was put on a 14 days suspension, so I only just saw your post now. But I really do appreciate your help.

Nice to see you back Mr. Thomsen.

I tried to send you a PM at the time, but my message bounced back saying your inbox was full and the recipient (you) needed to delete messages to make space.

I see the listing which could be bought as buy it now for £18 or offers went for £45 with 4 bids! I would have been interested in buying that at £18 as a back up copy, but I thought it should first go to someone who was missing it from their collection.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375343875...Bk9SR4TVidLVYw

Maybe Revenge will be released by Imprint/Via Vision.

[DavidGallow]

Originally Posted by MasterCollector07

Network had the operational problems going on. I still feel Network wasn't being effectively run properly as a company. Beddows death was a blow, but the company had other issues going on under the surface. Network did undersell their product considerably, and the sales were testament to that. The whole way the company went was odd. I'm certain one day, someone will break the silence.


Network's loss is too great, even though Imprint in Australia have recently acquired a number of British shows. Network's dedication to restoration was considerable, and the cost of such undertakings were great. Now, British TV obscurities will be a thing of the past. Simply Media and Network were committed to releasing archival material from the BBC and Channel 4, but now its highly unlikely that rare archival material will be released on physical.

Network sold things very cheaply,even new items and Aussie labels have a much higher retail price than the UK or US anyway so the price gap looks even bigger.

Beddows was like when a football team is subsidised by a massively wealthy owner who dies then it's not viable as a business, so without another truly passionate person doing it for love? Only one way.

2 weeks ago a lost for 60 years episode of Dixon Of Dock Green aired on TV. Who would release it now? So many things are recovered by Kaleidoscope and other missing TV archivists but without an outlet? They get stored somewhere and may as well still be lost for most of us unless it's Doctor Who.

When an episode of The Likely Lads was recovered, Network paid for the rights and put it on as an extra for the Bluray of the Likely Lads film. No way did they make money on that deal - the blu was 11 quid NEW on release. But it got the film restored and a missing ep to fans. It was an amazing company and much missed. If I were to win the lotto, I like to think after charity and family that's the passion project stuff I'd be backing.

[side__on]

It's such a loss that network went under,if they could have carried on for another decade we would have got loads more tv restorations like Out,The Professionals,UFO.
It really is a huge shame they went under.

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by side__on

It's such a loss that network went under, if they could have carried on for another decade we would have got loads more tv restorations like Out, The Professionals, UFO.
It really is a huge shame they went under.

UFO was an ITV restoration not Network, same as Thunderbirds.

Is why these aren't as good as Network's own restorations of the Anderson shows.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by MasterCollector07

Network had the operational problems going on. I still feel Network wasn't being effectively run properly as a company. Beddows death was a blow, but the company had other issues going on under the surface. Network did undersell their product considerably, and the sales were testament to that. The whole way the company went was odd. I'm certain one day, someone will break the silence.

I did mention contributed as I knew it wasn't the sole reason once I'd been told about it.

I reckon the best deal I got on anything from Network in a sale was The Arthur Haynes Show set for £10.

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

Network sold things very cheaply,even new items and Aussie labels have a much higher retail price than the UK or US anyway so the price gap looks even bigger.

Beddows was like when a football team is subsidised by a massively wealthy owner who dies then it's not viable as a business, so without another truly passionate person doing it for love? Only one way.

2 weeks ago a lost for 60 years episode of Dixon Of Dock Green aired on TV. Who would release it now? So many things are recovered by Kaleidoscope and other missing TV archivists but without an outlet? They get stored somewhere and may as well still be lost for most of us unless it's Doctor Who.

When an episode of The Likely Lads was recovered, Network paid for the rights and put it on as an extra for the Bluray of the Likely Lads film. No way did they make money on that deal - the blu was 11 quid NEW on release. But it got the film restored and a missing ep to fans. It was an amazing company and much missed. If I were to win the lotto, I like to think after charity and family that's the passion project stuff I'd be backing.

I know what you mean. It kills me everyday that Network no longer exists. I'm still struggling with the notion that ITV Global and the BBC are sitting on archival material that may never be rejuvenated and viewed ever again. You hear that Indicator want's to consider entering into the TV genre with the possibility of working with new partners like ITV Global etc....

This could be a small glimmer of light in an otherwise dark hole. The BFI stated last year that The Play for Today releases didn't sell well enough on physical media. This partly indicates a lack of interest in other, less familiar archival material that newer collectors just ignore.

Most people want the more notable stuff like The Sweeney, The Persuaders, The Prisoner etc... but forgetting the more important aspects of British television that's been forgotten about. Network catered for all tastes, and had probably one of the best outputs of archival material on physical.

I can see Indicator taking over a slice of Network's cake with Hammer, maybe? A new deal with them looks like a possibility.

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

I did mention contributed as I knew it wasn't the sole reason once I'd been told about it.

I reckon the best deal I got on anything from Network in a sale was The Arthur Haynes Show set for £10.

The sales were an orgy of buying. The cheaper the better, but at what cost? Everybody likes a "deal". No one likes a high price. I was willing to pay top dollar for the restored material. Why, because Network deserved it. But ultimately, low prices on products that hadn't been out long was a familiar site come Network Sale day. Some of those restorations done in house must've cost Network a fair price. So, hopefully, Indicator might consider opening up their own label and purge some unknown archival material that's less familiar, but far more rewarding.

[DavidGallow]

Originally Posted by MasterCollector07

The sales were an orgy of buying. The cheaper the better, but at what cost? Everybody likes a "deal". No one likes a high price. I was willing to pay top dollar for the restored material. Why, because Network deserved it. But ultimately, low prices on products that hadn't been out long was a familiar site come Network Sale day. Some of those restorations done in house must've cost Network a fair price. So, hopefully, Indicator might consider opening up their own label and purge some unknown archival material that's less familiar, but far more rewarding.

Yes, people saying "I want it...but it'll be a third of the price in a year" did not help. We all have budgets but that attitude if wide enough is why we didn't get more Sweeney blurays for one.

Criterion have the same model of massive reductions come sale time even on new items but they sell in such volume that the model works. They overprice to begin with too. Network underpriced...and got cheaper.

I wish they'd marketed better, engaged with fandoms. Been in FB groups, Twitter feeds, Discords, Reddits for, say, Doctor Who and promoted "Well, if you like Troughton - how about The Feathered Serpent or Scarlet Pimpernel?"

But..well...they didn't. I appreciated a vid on Youtube called RIP Network, that at least some people gave them their love and recognised them as a wonderful label. There were a few vids but they were clickbait "LABEL BUST, CLICK FOR MORE" but that one at least showed a lot of Network faves and was a tribute, not an ad. I can't find it now. I'm sure it was "RIP Network" it was called.

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

Yes, people saying "I want it...but it'll be a third of the price in a year" did not help. We all have budgets but that attitude if wide enough is why we didn't get more Sweeney blurays for one.

Criterion have the same model of massive reductions come sale time even on new items but they sell in such volume that the model works. They overprice to begin with too. Network underpriced...and got cheaper.

I wish they'd marketed better, engaged with fandoms. Been in FB groups, Twitter feeds, Discords, Reddits for, say, Doctor Who and promoted "Well, if you like Troughton - how about The Feathered Serpent or Scarlet Pimpernel?"

But..well...they didn't. I appreciated a vid on Youtube called RIP Network, that at least some people gave them their love and recognised them as a wonderful label. There were a few vids but they were clickbait "LABEL BUST, CLICK FOR MORE" but that one at least showed a lot of Network faves and was a tribute, not an ad. I can't find it now. I'm sure it was "RIP Network" it was called.

Much of what you say certainly hits home. There was certainly holes in the way Network marketed their products. Obviously, looking at today's economic woes here in the UK, it's clear that companies like Indicator are weathering the storm fairly well. Indicator have really interfaced with the market place and are willing to promote their product in other markets like US, which has been a success.

But Network seemed to be bery stayed and limited in scope and direction when it came to pushing the product. There's a number of factors involved with Network's demise, not just the man who created the brand, Tim Beddows. Network achived remarkable results in other areas, but the ball was firmly dropped many years ago.

Network lost direction, not because Beddows died, but they seemed to just not give a toss toward the end. Management must've been pretty rudderless to be honest. Yes. The turnover for labels like Criterion are immense. Any loss is swallowed up quite quickly, but Network didn't have the ability necessarily to achieve that outright, and it depends on how well you view the market and the customer base. I dread to think how much was being spent on in-house restorations without support from partners not willing to put financial backing into the projects. Only those in the know will understand the truth as to why Network went bust!

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

But..well...they didn't. I appreciated a vid on Youtube called RIP Network, that at least some people gave them their love and recognised them as a wonderful label. There were a few vids but they were clickbait "LABEL BUST, CLICK FOR MORE" but that one at least showed a lot of Network faves and was a tribute, not an ad. I can't find it now. I'm sure it was "RIP Network" it was called.

Was it this guy, Chris Benson who did quite a few videos about his collection of Network titles?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYutozFfWIU

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by MasterCollector07

The sales were an orgy of buying. The cheaper the better, but at what cost? Everybody likes a "deal". No one likes a high price. I was willing to pay top dollar for the restored material. Why, because Network deserved it. But ultimately, low prices on products that hadn't been out long was a familiar site come Network Sale day. Some of those restorations done in house must've cost Network a fair price. So, hopefully, Indicator might consider opening up their own label and purge some unknown archival material that's less familiar, but far more rewarding.

I'm hoping someone does a World Cinema (ie foreign language) TV label & releases loads of TV series such as:

La Piovra (TV Series) - Italian crime drama.
Blindpassasjer (Mini-Series) - Norwegian cult sci-fi.
Seagull Island (Mini-Series) - British/Italian Giallo series, NOT the EDITED for cinema The Secret of Seagull Island version.
Caccia al ladro d'autore - Italian crime drama.
Rally (Mini-Series) - Italian sports drama.
Mamma per caso (Mini-Series) - Italian comedy.
The Scorpion with Two Tails - The original 8-part mini-series version.
Myster Mocky présente (TV Series) - French crime series
Série noire (TV Series) - French crime drama.
MPD Psycho (Mini-Series) - Japanese horror.
World Masterpiece Theater (TV Series) - Japanese anime classic. None of the anime companies in UK, US or Oz have released any of this.

[gouryella]

Originally Posted by DavidGallow

.............But..well...they didn't. I appreciated a vid on Youtube called RIP Network, that at least some people gave them their love and recognised them as a wonderful label. There were a few vids but they were clickbait "LABEL BUST, CLICK FOR MORE" but that one at least showed a lot of Network faves and was a tribute, not an ad. I can't find it now. I'm sure it was "RIP Network" it was called.

The channel Davy's Flicks who posts on here has a video called RIP Network....

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

I'm hoping someone does a World Cinema (ie foreign language) TV label & releases loads of TV series such as:

La Piovra (TV Series) - Italian crime drama.
Blindpassasjer (Mini-Series) - Norwegian cult sci-fi.
Seagull Island (Mini-Series) - British/Italian Giallo series, NOT the EDITED for cinema The Secret of Seagull Island version.
Caccia al ladro d'autore - Italian crime drama.
Rally (Mini-Series) - Italian sports drama.
Mamma per caso (Mini-Series) - Italian comedy.
The Scorpion with Two Tails - The original 8-part mini-series version.
Myster Mocky présente (TV Series) - French crime series
Série noire (TV Series) - French crime drama.
MPD Psycho (Mini-Series) - Japanese horror.
World Masterpiece Theater (TV Series) - Japanese anime classic. None of the anime companies in UK, US or Oz have released any of this.

A good mix of material from international and UK TV would be nice. Just not more of the same. My concern is the more mainstream stuff constantly gets the attention, but the less unknown TV gets left behind. We need a label to push a solid mixture, that way, nearly all the bases are covered.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by MasterCollector07

A good mix of material from international and UK TV would be nice. Just not more of the same. My concern is the more mainstream stuff constantly gets the attention, but the less unknown TV gets left behind. We need a label to push a solid mixture, that way, nearly all the bases are covered.

That's why I mostly listed rare TV including the Norwegian one, which I got on DVD-R at the London Film Fair at the weekend, instead of mostly modern stuff.

If any UK stuff got released then it would need to be Welsh language stuff like Hinterland.

[MasterCollector07]

Originally Posted by fatboyslim142

That's why I mostly listed rare TV including the Norwegian one, which I got on DVD-R at the London Film Fair at the weekend, instead of mostly modern stuff.

If any UK stuff got released then it would need to be Welsh language stuff like Hinterland.

I wouldn't mind some more Dennis Potter from the BBC. There's too much stuff out there waiting to be rediscovered. The only problem with archival material is the legal aspect. Network had some battles over rights. One example being the Kenny Everett DVD set. I'm all for exploring new and past TV. Let's hope Indicator can rejuvenate what Network had been doing effectively in the past.