The only thing Apple should be working with Time Warner about is a buy-out price. Why doesn't Apple skip all this nonsense and BUY a media/cable company? All of us want streaming via some device, correct? But guess what, it's becoming *very* fragmented. Some on Netflix, some on Hulu, some on studio sites, some here, some there. Guess what, to get any good cross-section of entertainment, we'll have to spend as much or MORE as we are spending on a cable bundle. Soon, the cable bundle will be the deal, and that's exactly what the cable companies watch.
Quick poll, how many people here are like me, and would only need a package of 10 channels, including live news channels, etc. plus the ability to buy season passes or single episodes of any other shows?
See if you could get buy for $20.00/mo. for 10 channels. I know I could. I probably could get that down to 7.
I fear that everyone is going to get too greedy, try to do the job themselves. The content providers should never distribute. Just put out your content for a fair fee, and let Apple, Netflix, Hulu, etc. pick it up.
Why not have an RSS-type feed for media companies, with people actually paying for content that is wanted. Have an open standard so you truly pay for what you want. Sounds great huh? By Viacom would have to shut down 10 channels on day one with no viewership. They'd rather make cable companies pay for crap only to get the popular channels.
Aereo is coming to Providence, RI soon. And guess what, for $8/mo, streaming live channels to my MBP is all I need, along with iTunes/Netflix/Hulu. I will be paying less than $30/mo, plus buying season passes that I want, and not the network.
That is another thing. I don't want to buy networks. I want to buy content. Don't want AMC, just want Mad Men/Walking Dead/Breaking Bad. This scares networks/cable companies. If I only watch a channel for a handful of hours each month, why should I pay for it 24/7?
My rant is over. I'm hot and need a milk shake.