iTunes Loosing NBC?

[ssj2_goha]

Apple® today announced that it will not be selling NBC television shows for the upcoming television season on its online iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com). The move follows NBC’s decision to not renew its agreement with iTunes after Apple declined to pay more than double the wholesale price for each NBC TV episode, which would have resulted in the retail price to consumers increasing to $4.99 per episode from the current $1.99. ABC, CBS, FOX and The CW, along with more than 50 cable networks, are signed up to sell TV shows from their upcoming season on iTunes at $1.99 per episode.

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/08/31itunes.html

[RabidDog]

Forgiven.. non-english speaker

[JohnnyMalaria]

Hmmm. Reading a PR from Apple's website doesn't give the full story (obviously).

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN3120885820070831

No doubt, the reality lies between the two camps' positions.

[jman98]

I heard about this on Friday. I suspect it's mostly NBC's decision here and not so much iTunes. I suspect that NBC wants to charge more per episode for their hits than iTunes is charging. NBC wants what is ominously called "price flexibility", which means that for their sucky shows they'll probably charge $1 or less and for the hits (Scrubs, The Office, My Name Is Earl, etc.) they'll charge more than $1.99 an episode. I also heard a rumor that 1 hour shows will cost more too whereas I believe iTunes had a "one price fits all" policy for all show regardless of length. NBC also may think that they can make more money selling them themselves by cutting out the middleman. If they raise the price too much, I think they may actually lose sales and consumers will turn to P2P networks and such, but we'll see.

[CubDukat]

Were they even selling non-NBC/Universal shows? I think that the networks that sell stuff on iTunes are more or less sticking to shows produced by the production companies they own (ABC=Disney/Touchstone, NBC/Universal=Universal, Fox=Well, you get the idea, right?)

I will sorta miss not being able to buy episodes of "Galactica," but I agree wholeheartedly about Apple's actions. If NBC/Universal wants to take their ball and go home, let them. Their logo may be a globe, but the media world doesn't revolve around it, and they need to learn that. Besides, they've been whoring themselves out to all the Windows Media outlets offering them DRM-free music, and I don't think they're charging any more for it than iTunes would have. And that seriously surprises me, given the obsession with DRM in the Windows camp.

Repeat after me, NBC/Universal: Greed...is not good.

[edDV]

NBC and "hits" in the same sentence? They are a distant #4 with only "Heroes" as a surprise hit. "Office" and "Scrubs" are 22 minute shows. Give us a break. If we called for a boycott of NBC wouldn't viewers say "NBwho? Are you talking about Leno?"

[SmokieStover]

Apple iTunes dispute sends NBC to Amazon

By Ned Randolph -- Video Business, 9/4/2007

SEPT. 4 | Just days after breaking off its relationship with Apple, executives with NBC Universal announced that the studio's new fall lineup would be available on Amazon Unbox, the online retailer's digital video download service.
Television shows including The Office, 30 Rock and Heroes will be available for download onto computers or through TiVo the day after their initial broadcast, NBC said.
Beginning Sept. 10, Amazon customers also will be able to download for free in advance of their network premieres the pilot episodes of NBC's new shows Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman and Life. These also will be in a promotional DVD available through a deal with Blockbuster.

Amazon Unbox and NBC Universal will offer customers a variety of packages including discounts of 30% when purchasing full seasons.

Amazon Unbox has offered movies from Universal Pictures, Rogue Pictures and Focus Features since September 2006.

The announcement follows just days after Friday's public fallout between NBC and Apple, which carries its current slate of titles on iTunes. The talks broke down over a distribution deal that ends in December.

Apple said NBC wanted too much money for its content. The studio countered that Apple's retail pricing strategy was design to drive sales of Apple devices "at the expense of those who create the content that make these devices worth buying," NBC Universal exec VP of communications Cory Shields said.

NBC Universal’s networks include USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, Telemundo, mun2, NBC Sports and NBC News.

“With the addition of NBC Universal TV content to Amazon Unbox, fans now have the ultimate convenience for enjoying their favorite shows whenever or wherever they want,” said Jean-Briac Perrette, president of NBC Universal Digital Distribution. “This further expands our longstanding relationship to bring a robust content offering to the marketplace in a variety of ways that will benefit the consumer and, at the same time, protects our content.”

“We are excited to bring NBC Universal shows like the award-winning The Office, 30 Rock and Battlestar Galactica to our Amazon Unbox customers,” said Bill Carr, Amazon.com VP of digital music and video. “Our customers can now enjoy their favorite NBC Universal shows either on their personal computer or on their TV through the Amazon Unbox on TiVo service.”

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6475152.html

GEE, I NEVER HEARD OF AMAZON UNBOX.

[edDV]

Apple iTunes dispute sends NBC to Amazon

By Ned Randolph -- Video Business, 9/4/2007

SEPT. 4 | Just days after breaking off its relationship with Apple, executives with NBC Universal announced that the studio's new fall lineup would be available on Amazon Unbox, the online retailer's digital video download service.
Television shows including The Office, 30 Rock and Heroes will be available for download onto computers or through TiVo the day after their initial broadcast, NBC said.
Beginning Sept. 10, Amazon customers also will be able to download for free in advance of their network premieres the pilot episodes of NBC's new shows Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman and Life. These also will be in a promotional DVD available through a deal with Blockbuster.

Amazon Unbox and NBC Universal will offer customers a variety of packages including discounts of 30% when purchasing full seasons.

Amazon Unbox has offered movies from Universal Pictures, Rogue Pictures and Focus Features since September 2006.

The announcement follows just days after Friday's public fallout between NBC and Apple, which carries its current slate of titles on iTunes. The talks broke down over a distribution deal that ends in December.

Apple said NBC wanted too much money for its content. The studio countered that Apple's retail pricing strategy was design to drive sales of Apple devices "at the expense of those who create the content that make these devices worth buying," NBC Universal exec VP of communications Cory Shields said.

NBC Universal’s networks include USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, Telemundo, mun2, NBC Sports and NBC News.

“With the addition of NBC Universal TV content to Amazon Unbox, fans now have the ultimate convenience for enjoying their favorite shows whenever or wherever they want,” said Jean-Briac Perrette, president of NBC Universal Digital Distribution. “This further expands our longstanding relationship to bring a robust content offering to the marketplace in a variety of ways that will benefit the consumer and, at the same time, protects our content.”

“We are excited to bring NBC Universal shows like the award-winning The Office, 30 Rock and Battlestar Galactica to our Amazon Unbox customers,” said Bill Carr, Amazon.com VP of digital music and video. “Our customers can now enjoy their favorite NBC Universal shows either on their personal computer or on their TV through the Amazon Unbox on TiVo service.”

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6475152.html

GEE, I NEVER HEARD OF AMAZON UNBOX.

NBC is run by "Ivy" elites who think they run the world when the reality is they and CW network are fighting for #4. The other three CBS, Fox and ABC are in the top tier. I hate to see NBC (the former #1) go down the tubes this way. "Heroes" was an accident. "Office" is a rip from the UK. "Battlestar Galactica" is a lame attempt at a remake. The rest of their shows just aren't watched.

[lordsmurf]

NBC did pretty good with My Name Is Earl. But I still agree, they're fighting for 4th place, by and large.

[edDV]

NBC did pretty good with My Name Is Earl. But I still agree, they're fighting for 4th place, by and large.

I never liked that show. It looks to me like a rip of Jerry Springer from a condescending viewpoint. That is an easy programming trick. At least the "Beverly Hillbillies" had redeeming values that satirized Hollywood in the days.

[paulw]

Makes no difference to me as we can't buy TV programs from itunes. You guys in the US have it so good with this stuff.. back to channel Torrent