1. Premier Exhibitions recently reported its fourth quarter results along with full year 2014. Total revenue fell by 7% ( $6.2 million compared to $6.7 million last quarter) and gross profit decreased as well. Exhibition days also decreased to 1,278 from 1,150 in last quarter. Attendance was down in fourth quarter (357 per day compared to 399). Ticket prices did increase slightly by 1.3% Overall revenue decreased 25.6% to $29.3 million and gross profit while gross profits decreased 32.5% to $14.0 million. Premier’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Michael Little says:
“We are resolved to improving the performance of Titanic and Bodies from current levels which we think can best be accomplished by updating the exhibition content and by bolstering our exhibition marketing efforts. To accomplish these changes, we will invest in both exhibitions. In addition, we have augmented our in-house marketing team and partnered with Crossmedia to re-envision and re-launch highly creative and collaborative campaigns and bring these stories to life across paid, owned, and earned media. We think these efforts should positively impact these existing properties over time and complement our broader plan to evolve and diversify our portfolio.”
In other words, the exhibitions have become stagnant and need to be revitalized and re-marketed to get more people buying tickets. As for the Titanic artifacts that were supposed to be sold per a salvage award, not a word in the press release.
Source:Premier Exhibitions Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results(27 May 2014,Globe Newswire (Press Release)
2. Despite having powerful wireless telegraphs aboard Titanic, it was not able to summon help as quickly as it should have writes Ronald Yeaple in Daily Messenger. Over on California, its wireless operator retired for the night so he and no one else aboard heard the fateful telegraph call from Titanic. They did not learn of the tragedy till the next morning. Carpathia heard the message and resulting from that was Captain Rostron immediately heading to the scene arriving around 0400. Compounding the problem later was how messages got terribly garbled and mashed up resulting in inaccurate news being reported. Yeaple writes: “The spark coil transmitters of the time broadcast a wide range of frequencies and were not finely tuned like today’s radios, so messages often overlapped.” That does explain why, unfortunately, early reports were so terribly wrong. [Today we are experiencing something of a decline in getting it right. Today many reporters have gone backwards in their attempts to get the headline by relying on Twitter, other social media, and dubious sources not properly vetted.]
Source: FROM TELEGRAMS TO TEXTING: Why Didn’t Wireless Save Titanic’s Passengers?(1 June 2014,Daily Messenger)
3. A Mediterranean theme park in China which will include a replica of Titanic (the Titanic Sinking Simulator) will also have a man-made beach much like the movie Truman Show. Construction, if on schedule, began on 30 May. According to CNTV: “The 16-billion RMB ($256 million) model ship and interior man-made beach will be two of the key attractions at the Romandisea Seven Star International Cultural Tourism Resort, which will also feature a Venetian church, Turkish baths and what is being called a “6D cinema.”
Source:Replicated Titanic To Anchor In Mediterranean Theme Park In China(30 May 2014,CNTV)