What is Digg?212 Comments
- thelastcivilian, on 10/10/2007, -1/+127$4.99 per episode (if not iTunes then probably via Hulu), or a torrent for free...? Tough choice.
- choy, on 10/10/2007, -3/+98Nice!
My thoughts too. Another case of TV execs sitting in an ivory tower thinking they can charge what they want. They're lucky they have an audience with the iTunes downloads.
Now if only they had the brains to actually read and understand what ilounge wrote. A tall order, but Palm did when engadget wrote an open letter:
http://blog.palm.com/palm/2007/08/thanks-engadget.html
Maybe I'm expecting too much from NBC execs. - ggnictee, on 10/10/2007, -2/+66it always bothers me a little when i actually purchase something and still get accused of being a thief.
I do hope that someday someone will look at Google's ad system and realize that if you sell a whole lot of them you don't have to charge a whole lot. you sell it for $1 an episode i bet you could sell 10 times as many as at 3$. it's got to be worth a shot anyway. try it.
actually didn't Walmart become the largest retailer on the planet using that philosophy? - mohamedmansour, on 10/10/2007, -2/+36lol this shows how stupid NBC network is... Do they know what torrent is? Do they know that computers can watch TV and we can press the record button. Do they know that we have FAST internet and everything could be uploaded quickly... By removing online purchasing of tv on itunes they are making one huge business mistake.
- anarchyx34, on 10/10/2007, -2/+29I cant even remember how many BSG and Heroes episodes I've purchased in the past year. Let just say it's a lot. $2 per episode was barely reasonable but I paid for the convenience.
- drone86, on 10/10/2007, -2/+25This move is indicative of how out of touch these execs are. They're scrambling to get every penny they can out of their deal with Apple, and they're only hurting themselves. If they were at all forward thinking, they would have they're shows available freely on the internet, something like what ABC offers.
- HitchcockBlonde, on 10/10/2007, -0/+20NBC's needs? Hahaha! By adding TV programming to the iTMS Apple created a market where NBC could actually get paid for shows that consumers can literally get for free.
- killiansman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+19Kind of in the same way that the RIAA has different business arrangements?
- Chompy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+21NBC needs to fire the 80 year old geezers they must have running things, maybe hire someone with the sense of a 6 year old. Hey, idiots: the 80s are over.
Adapt or die, dinosaurs. - thatsmyaibo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+20Shows air free anyways. They should be giving them away. They are lucky Apple made them money on shows at all.
- maxsunset, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18The iLounge letter is a little to condescending (even if deservingly so) to be all that effective to NBC. Still, the piracy points are spot on, and not just for NBC!
- h00ligan, on 10/10/2007, -0/+15actually, the question is - what market research did nbc do that would make them think people would PAY $5 an episode?
- Xorp, on 10/10/2007, -1/+14You just increased piracy tenfold. Congratulations NBC Universal.
- Garou, on 10/10/2007, -2/+15Meh. "Downloading episodes through torrent systems will not solve the problem". Solves my problem.
- CraigJ, on 10/10/2007, -3/+15I doubt you have a clue.
- Chompy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12It doesn't have to include Apple at all, but NBC claims that they're pulling their shows because of piracy concerns. I trust I don't have to explain to you how absurd that is.
- Caleb666, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11Gives us more reasons to pirate the bastards!
- nace33, on 10/10/2007, -2/+13NBC if on September 25th your shows aren't on iTunes, then you are dead to me and kiss my money goodbye!
- mohamedmansour, on 10/10/2007, -2/+12Hmm, NBC is already letting users to stream them online for free. Maybe they want people to goto their websites which they have advertisement and let the users watch for free any NBC episode. But the bad thing is that we can't download it.
- HitchcockBlonde, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10Apple created this market for NBC, remember that. The iTMS convenience is what convinced people to pay for shows that they can get elswhere for absolutely free.
- mikesay98, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10Well, the whole point is that the iPod is highest media player sold on the market right now, the iPhone just came out which is big, and people can also watch them on their computers and TV through the Apple TV. Plus, people who are already buying shows through iTunes like the simplicity of buying everything through that. Who wants to have to sign up with each network, go to each network's website, sign in, download and pay what they want, and then try to import it into iTunes (assuming the video type is compatible)?
- pixelpimp, on 10/10/2007, -2/+12I like how he started with CUSTOMERS! Now they we are buying content vs. having to sit through ads we should control what format we receive your product!
- ibeetle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9What can you expect from a television network that told Gene Roddenberry that he needed to add Mayans to Star Trek.
- uvscwolverine, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8I know that I, for one, had never even heard of The Office before it started appearing in the top 10 iTunes downloads. I thought "2 bucks, why not" and gave it a look. I have since bought all 3 seasons. iTunes had nothing to do with the show being good, but it had everything to do with me being exposed to it.
- ravenpen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8Yes "Screw Apple" for trying to keep prices reasonable!
Damn those Cupertino bastards for not wanting to charge me more money! - vanzee, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8I used to work as an assistant to a VP at NBC/Uni who was involved in this arena and have forwarded this letter to him. Hope he listens.
- serpicolugnut, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8If Apple wants to put the cherry on top of all this, they should remove all of their advertising from NBC as well, and spread the NBC share out over the other networks. I mean, why would Apple want to advertise on the 4th rated network anyway?
- atgunning, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8The question that needs to be asked is this: Can NBC make more money with a higher price and (possibly) less sales via it's own website instead of selling more episodes cheaper on itunes? If yes, it's not a bad decision. However, I think they are taking a huge gamble, since not everybody that currently buys the shows on itunes will migrate to their new website. More than likely, they will be back begging at apple's door in a year....
- HitchcockBlonde, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8Ummm...apparently so!
- lgivens, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6NBC Execs...at any price over $1.99, you'll tip the average user over to bittorrent. I will pay my fair share, but it's got to be fair. You'll be shooting yourselves in the foot. Go ahead and see if it works.
- badnewsblair, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Yes.
- qwertyuio, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7Actually, Apple made the show very well known by offering an easy and novel way to watch it. Distribution makes a difference.
- Corinthos, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Screw that. It would be over a 100 dollars for most seasons. I haven't even wanted to spend 2 bucks on a 22 minute sitcom since i can just wait and get it cheaper on dvd. 45-60 minute programs I liked the 1.99 price but don't think I'd ever go above 2.49 for one unless it was real good.
I get 20 dollar itune gift cards free from work about twice a month. I haven't used them for any NBC shows I like yet because I have them on DVD or plan to wait and get them. I usually get things I haven't seen before so I have something to watch on my ipod when I'm out. So far I've bought Sleeper Cell's complete series and 14 episodes of Lost. Both of those shows I have never seen until I got them on itunes and once I am caught up on Lost I plan on watching the newer episodes on tv. After I get done with Lost then I guess it won't be a NBC show I am purchasing. - moisie, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6iTunes maybe helped bring those shows to a wider/different audience though, and they then were able to appreciate how good the shows are.
- moisie, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Then how come services that sell the same things aren't as popular?
- techweenie1, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5Sucks to be NBC right now.
- whatthefu, on 10/10/2007, -3/+8Well to be completely fair they CAN charge whatever they want. It's capitalism, and it's up to consumers as to whether or not NBC will feel the sting of it.
- execute85, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Ummm, I skip the commercials with my DVR anyway (perfectly legal). Downloading tv shows off bittorrent is as legal as timeshifting with a DVR or VCR.
And they don't have the exclusive right to say how they want their intellectual property distributed. IP is significantly different than real property and has more restrictions on what is legally acceptable. Why should society pay all this money to enforce IP laws that are detrimental to society? - 1charmedlife, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5The NBC execs also seem to be really f*ing ignorant of the fact that iTunes/Apple succeeds because it's interface and usability is EASY and done well. To date, ALL the networks and studios attempts at their own stores or streaming sites totally SUCK, and they spend millions and millions of dollars developing their own sites, interfaces, DRM (another big part of the problem) and paying for bandwidth. I've spec'd out and worked with some of the initiatives from network producers, and the idiots have nooooo clue how much all the infrastructure, delivery, and maintenance fees are. With iTunes, that's all on Apple, and they kick ass at it.
At the end of the day I think there's very little chance of this being a good long-term move. - reed311, on 10/10/2007, -4/+9They do not air for free. They air with commercials, which is a form of taking up your time (time is money). So by your logic, they should just air shows with no commercials and just hope they are somehow able to recover losses by all the college kids downloading their shows via bittorrent? Regardless, they have the exclusive right to say how they want their property to be distributed.
- HitchcockBlonde, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5"not because it was channeled through the internet by Apple"
And you know this, how? - crashing2thesea, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Good thoughts.
- uvscwolverine, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4You have a point about the show being good, but I'm among those people that didn't even know the show existed until it showed up on iTunes. I saw episodes staying in the top 10 consistently and thought it'd be worth checking out for 2 bucks. If I hadn't bought the Office Olympics episode I would still be in the dark about what a great show it is.
- fixyourthinking, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4It was actually ressurected BECAUSE it did so well on iTunes
- chewbaccapits, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I don't think they'll sell it for that much (4.99), I think they were bluffing with Apple knowing Apple would not swallow thta pricing scheme at all....They will however, sell without Apple taking any share of the pie for, maybe, 2.99/3.99 plus so sort of monthly setup...Yes, ridiculous, I know but they need to take into account the infrastructure it will take to distribute that stuff, which they did not need to worry, I believe, when Apple was slanging their shows; furthermore, they need to understand my ass is going to pirate they're ***** show whenever possible...I never had a reason to do it, now, it just seems like it is in my duty, as a jackass, to do it...
- ChOas, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6-- itunes magical fees didn't make the show any funnier. --
Ricky Gervais did, though... - HitchcockBlonde, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Really? Apparently, you don't even know what a monopoly is.
- Rethcir, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Kettle, meet pot. Pot, meet kettle.
- danasghar, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4NBC has made a horrible decision here. Personally, when Itunes introduced TV Shows, I canceled my basic cable as I hardly ever watch TV anymore (dont even own a TIVO) as I mainly only have time from work to watch movies and the maybe MSNBC or CNN or whatever. I used to purchase the season pass of a few shows that cost me maybe a few hundred dollars a year as opposed to shelling out close to $1500 for cable yearly. Most of the shows (Office, Hero's, 24) were NBC shows. Guess what NBC, I truly believe selected shows Ala Carte is the future of TV and i think you just went a step backwards. I can just download these shows for free now off the net, and you'll get none of my money.
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