So NBC is back in iTunes. That must mean all is well with the two companies, correct?
Well…maybe…but it doesn’t stop them from trying to convince the press that the other actually caved to make the deal possible. NBC is saying that Apple made concessions to get them back in the store.
The problem with that is that their argument is that NBC had wanted to LOWER prices, and Apple wouldn’t let them. That makes no sense, because Apple has always let networks charge LESS for their content if they want to. For example, The History Channel has had shows for $0.99 an episode at certain times for several years.
NBC also claims that Apple conceded to let them package certain shows together. Apple has always allowed shows with appropriate themes (for example, the Disney Channel Holiday pack on my iPod) to be bundled together. What Apple wouldn’t allow is for NBC to package hit shows only with less successful shows that didn’t match…and they’re still not allowing that.
So, honestly, it would be wonderful if NBC would just stop talking about this and move on. They came back. We all know why. iTunes is the #1 music store, and the #1 video store for digital content. Hulu isn’t going to change that, and neither is Amazon’s current offerings. If NBC wants to make money with Apple, they’re going to have to work with Apple by Apple’s rules.
3 thoughts on “Oh NBC, why must you keep stirring things up?”
I feel good all over when I hear that a major studio is getting its comupance, in this case with an inability to dictate terms. Why? Because, according to an over-abundant number of stories regarding the unfair and exploitative treatment of music, motion picture, and TV artists — and I may be oversimplifying — it may be indicative of the true state of the relationship between talent with vision and suit with contract.
I believe that Apple stood its ground in this one case and NBC suffers for its exploitative MO and its lack of vision, the latter that only Apple provided.
Yes; I believe Steve Jobs hit them where they live. “In the Pocketbook”; lol,lol.
For me, Apple needed to get NBC/Universal back so I could actually consider replacing cable with AppleTV