Subscription Programme

GE Fabbri offered a subscription service for Doctor Who: Battles in Time alongside the newsagent release. Subscribers received the magazine by post and were offered a series of additional gifts and Exterminator trading card packs.

The original subscription promotion advertised nine free gifts. This consisted of five physical accessories and four additional Exterminator trading card packs. The accessories were supplied at different stages of the subscription rather than all being delivered with the first issue.

Contemporary subscription documentation confirms that the magazine was charged at £2.50 per issue. Subscribers initially paid £10.00 for four issues, with the same amount subsequently charged for each further block of four issues. The subscription had a minimum commitment of four issues, after which it could be cancelled with 28 days' notice.

The subscription service was administered by The Database Factory UK Ltd on behalf of GE Fabbri Ltd. Direct Debit documentation included with the original order form identifies The Database Factory as the organisation responsible for processing the payments.

Issues were delivered to subscribers in batches rather than following exactly the same physical delivery schedule as copies sold through newsagents. Contemporary production information indicates that subscriptions were generally delivered monthly, with two magazine issues supplied per delivery.

The subscription provided an alternative means of receiving the Battles in Time magazine series. Subscribers received the same magazine issues as the retail release, together with the additional accessories and Exterminator packs included in the subscription offer.

The subscription programme therefore forms a distinct part of the original Battles in Time product range, encompassing both the subscription-only delivery process and the additional gifts supplied to subscribers.

Subscription Payment and Terms

The original subscription order form confirms that subscribers paid £2.50 per issue. The initial order covered four issues, with £10.00 charged when the subscription was started. The same £10.00 payment was then taken for each subsequent block of four issues.

The form states that the subscription was subject to a minimum of four issues. Following this initial period, subscribers could cancel the subscription at any time by providing 28 days' notice.

Payment could be made either by credit or debit card or by Direct Debit. The Direct Debit section identifies The Database Factory UK Ltd as the organisation processing payments on behalf of GE Fabbri Ltd.

The order form also contained separate optional marketing permissions. Subscribers could authorise GE Fabbri to use their details for marketing purposes, including information about products and services. A separate option allowed subscribers to permit their details to be passed to other companies whose products or services might be of interest.

The order form provides contemporary documentary evidence for the subscription price, payment schedule, minimum subscription period and cancellation terms.

Subscriber Gifts

The five physical gifts were:

A5 80-card album
Magazine holder
Electronic LED dice, also described as the Game Randomiser
TARDIS combination lock
Sound FX TARDIS lid with flashing light

In addition, subscribers received four Exterminator booster packs.This arrangement resulted in subscribers receiving the components of the collection over several separate deliveries.

Contemporary subscriber discussions from October 2006 also document the staged delivery of the gifts, with subscribers reporting that their first package contained the album and one booster pack rather than the complete subscription gift package.

The subscriber gifts were distributed across several deliveries rather than being supplied together.

The surviving contemporary evidence indicates the following sequence:

Delivery 1: A5 80-card album and Exterminator booster pack

Delivery 2: Sound FX TARDIS lid and Exterminator booster pack

Delivery 3: TARDIS combination lock and Exterminator booster pack

Delivery 4: Magazine holder and Exterminator booster pack

Delivery 5: Electronic LED dice/Game Randomiser

This arrangement resulted in subscribers receiving the components of the collection over several separate deliveries.

Collectors Tardis Lid

As with the main storage case itself, there were subtle differences between the Test Set and Main Release versions of the TARDIS lid.

The Test Set lid used a more rigid construction, with an internal insert secured by screws. The insert provided space for a padlock and gave the lid a similar construction to the later Sound FX TARDIS lid supplied to subscribers. The construction is also consistent with the more rigid design used for the Test Set storage case.

The Main Release lid was redesigned with a hollowed-out interior, resulting in a lighter construction. This appears to have been a production change from the Test Set design. One possible explanation is that the simplified construction reduced the amount of material and components required for each lid, which would have been relevant when producing the storage cases for the substantially larger national release. However, no contemporary production documentation has been located confirming that cost reduction was the reason for the change.

The difference can therefore be established physically, while the reason for the redesign remains unconfirmed.

Main Set Tardis Lid free with Issue 3

Test Set Tardis Lid free with Issue 3

The photographs below document the physical gifts supplied as part of the original Battles in Time subscription offer. Each item has been photographed separately to show its construction, branding and physical details, providing a visual record of the accessories supplied to subscribers.

The original promotion advertised nine free gifts, comprising five physical accessories and four Exterminator trading card packs. The gifts were distributed at different stages of the subscription, rather than being supplied together as a single package.

The photographs focus on the physical items themselves, including details that may not be apparent from the original promotional material. Where appropriate, accompanying captions identify the individual gift and its position within the advertised subscription offer.

Together, these photographs provide a record of the subscription-exclusive and subscriber-supplied items that formed part of the original Battles in Time release.