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Apple to Stop Selling NBC Television Shows
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I am sure it has been said, but every network that leaves iTunes, Apple gets closer to releasing a true DVR to fill our iPods. Networks are short sited and greedy and the manipulation only hurts the consumer, Apple comes out looking like a champion, battling for the consumer. I don't mind paying for the convenience of having an entire season of my favorite program downloaded for use on my iPod, but the only winners are eyeTV and bittorrent and the other file sharing sites. The producers of content will realize at some point that the best business model is diversity to distribute there product. Their costs are fixed to produce a TV show, they should realize they should try to monetize there investment in as many different distribution models as possible. It is good for the consumer and will just generate revenue for the networks, business 101. As for NBC, goodbye, see you soon when you realize your missing the boat.
OK, Now I've heard everything. You're analog is Apple = Walmart >GOOD, NBC = CHARMIN > BAD.
Yep, good ole Apple and Walmart they know better what to ask for your product than you do. Who cares if you you are losing money on the deal because good ole Walmart and Apple have your back. Give me a break!
Why all the anger?
This is a free market. Apple can try to force the content provider to sale at their rates or risk losing that provider's content.
The content provider can sale through itunes with Apple's restrictions or they can go elsewhere and try to get a better deal.
We are all big boys, the world will be OK tomorrow without The Office on itunes. Besides there is still a fifty-fifty chance one side will cave before christmas.
I guess NBC is pro piracy. If they want twice the wholesale price I guess that will mean when you want to buy Scrubs season 7 on DVD you'll have to pay $100. I am sure they can't see anyone paying that. I wonder if they will take returns, if I can't get the next season of "Andy Parker, PI" why would I want to keep season 1.
I now hate NBC, the last of network TV I watched...
I took the money I probably would have spent on TV shows and bought a new bike
I now hate NBC, the last of network TV I watched...
I took the money I probably would have spent on TV shows and bought a new bike
I realllllly hope NBC eats crow for this.
I hear a lot of you talking about downloading the shows like The Office and whatnot, off of bittorrent... I need help. I have heard a lot about that but have no CLUE how to use it or get started. What do I need and how hard is it to use?
As soon as season 4 of The Office starts I want to be able to get the episodes, so if NBC doesn't wanna take my $1.99 through iTunes, I will happily download it for nothing, if someone can please help me and tell me how to do it...?
Thanks.
I hear a lot of you talking about downloading the shows like The Office and whatnot, off of bittorrent... I need help. I have heard a lot about that but have no CLUE how to use it or get started. What do I need and how hard is it to use?
As soon as season 4 of The Office starts I want to be able to get the episodes, so if NBC doesn't wanna take my $1.99 through iTunes, I will happily download it for nothing, if someone can please help me and tell me how to do it...?
Thanks.
I was suspecting this would happen after Universal (owned by NBC) changed their contract. NBC is crazy thinking that anyone would $4.99 episodes!
Vivendi, btw, isn't just some faceless company; they're Blizzard's parent company.
If Vivendi were to play hardball (which is unlikely to happen though), that would mean no Starcraft 2, or no World of Starcraft, next time around.
If Vivendi were to play hardball (which is unlikely to happen though), that would mean no Starcraft 2, or no World of Starcraft, next time around.
NBC are dumb ****s. All you are doing NBC is encouraging me to pirate your stuff. I live in the UK but I spent the cash on a season pass for Heroes. I didn't HAVE to but the idea of having episodes turn up on my Mac without effort was worth the cash to me but seems like I won't be paying you $$$ for Season 2.
Looks like the torrent hits for NBC's shows will be going up ^_^. GO ILLEGAL NBC TORRENTS GO ! XD
-mrploddy
Looks like the torrent hits for NBC's shows will be going up ^_^. GO ILLEGAL NBC TORRENTS GO ! XD
-mrploddy
Idiots at NBC
These are the same idiots at NBC that demanded that youtube take down clips from SNL. It took them several days to figure out that more people saw the youtube SNL posting than viewers who tuned into the actual broadcast. Well, almost.
They just don't get the web. Nor do execs understand that online download shopping is more than just putting content on a server and expecting consumers to eat it up. Apple does a great job packaging their online content and linking it to other thing people might be interested in. Besides what television show is worth $130 to download the whole season? Really!
Where others try to market with brute force, Apple succeeds with Elegance.
They just don't get that.
These are the same idiots at NBC that demanded that youtube take down clips from SNL. It took them several days to figure out that more people saw the youtube SNL posting than viewers who tuned into the actual broadcast. Well, almost.
They just don't get the web. Nor do execs understand that online download shopping is more than just putting content on a server and expecting consumers to eat it up. Apple does a great job packaging their online content and linking it to other thing people might be interested in. Besides what television show is worth $130 to download the whole season? Really!
Where others try to market with brute force, Apple succeeds with Elegance.
They just don't get that.
Let NBC know how you feel.....
"I called my congressman
and he said, quote
'I'd like to help you son
but you're too young to vote.'"
--The Who
(Summertime blues)
Actually we can vote with our Visa cards. Stop downloading NBC material from any paid source. Today. And tell your downloading friends.
In this showdown of titans, the fat bastards at NBC can't even get their guns out of their holsters before they shoot themselves in the foot.
And it took alot of noodling round and filling out a tedious survey (don't bother, you have to answer a zillion Q's and never get to comment), but I finally found a link to email NBC: http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us/
"I called my congressman
and he said, quote
'I'd like to help you son
but you're too young to vote.'"
--The Who
(Summertime blues)
Actually we can vote with our Visa cards. Stop downloading NBC material from any paid source. Today. And tell your downloading friends.
In this showdown of titans, the fat bastards at NBC can't even get their guns out of their holsters before they shoot themselves in the foot.
And it took alot of noodling round and filling out a tedious survey (don't bother, you have to answer a zillion Q's and never get to comment), but I finally found a link to email NBC: http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us/
Petition to NBC
http://www.petitiononline.com/nbcitune/petition.html
The above is a link to petition to NBC to rethink their strategies with regards to TV Shows and iTunes.
http://www.petitiononline.com/nbcitune/petition.html
The above is a link to petition to NBC to rethink their strategies with regards to TV Shows and iTunes.
Chill!!
1. It does not make someone a troll purely because you don't agree with what they think. You have a difference of opinion.
2. Because he / she does not like Apple's positions regarding iPhone and NBC shows etc, it does not make that person an Apple hater!!!!
The problem with the iPhone is that the customer pays FULL price and still gets told what network they will use. In fact, you pay for the phone without signing an AT&T contract. Both points are unlike all other phones. There is no evidence that Apple is subsidising the phone.. as I've repeatedly said, that $200 per customer from subscriber fees that goes towards apple could be pure profit, no one outside Apple knows either way.
Getting on topic:
When it comes to NBC - its probably six of 1, and half a dozen of the other: Apple unwilling to budge their position, and up'ed the stakes by stopping selling of NBC shows. NBC wanting to up the price.
As I said before, its a negotiating game.
NBC and Apple will talk and a comprise will be worked out.
1. It does not make someone a troll purely because you don't agree with what they think. You have a difference of opinion.
2. Because he / she does not like Apple's positions regarding iPhone and NBC shows etc, it does not make that person an Apple hater!!!!
The problem with the iPhone is that the customer pays FULL price and still gets told what network they will use. In fact, you pay for the phone without signing an AT&T contract. Both points are unlike all other phones. There is no evidence that Apple is subsidising the phone.. as I've repeatedly said, that $200 per customer from subscriber fees that goes towards apple could be pure profit, no one outside Apple knows either way.
Getting on topic:
When it comes to NBC - its probably six of 1, and half a dozen of the other: Apple unwilling to budge their position, and up'ed the stakes by stopping selling of NBC shows. NBC wanting to up the price.
As I said before, its a negotiating game.
NBC and Apple will talk and a comprise will be worked out.
Tip: on many websites, they create a "contact us" link - on the nbc.com site, it is right at the bottom of every page - next time, try looking for that first
by the way, i posted that link in this thread on page 3 or 4 or something like that last night but now there's too many pages to read them all
Hey, Zune and its music store has taken the northwest corner of the Texas panhandle by storm. We better watch out. But I agree: It was a scuttle move, not a real price increase. Nobody would pay $5.00 for a TV show. NBC had also held back on some key properties all along. Note Universal Music terminated their iTunes music contract, though they are likely to still sell most of their music, with DRM, through iTunes. NBC Universal, Universal's NBC, same company.
Universal is HD DVD only, now lately joined by Paramount, but Paramount perhaps only for a limited time -- until the cash the HD DVD consortium (ah, Microsoft) gave them. Universal seems to be trying some sort of bizarre consumer-unfriendly dual strategy: They are a content producer but they also want to do digital retail for it, but they don't have any real digital retail operation, so they look to Microsoft which for some reason I can't fathom -- probably because Microsoft doles out "financial incentives" -- they believe will allow them more control over the retail end.
This is all part of the recent trend in retail product sales: four guys win, everybody else loses. I've given up trying to have a shot at everything. We went Wii and PS3 for games; if it comes out for Xbox, we just can't play it. We went Blu-ray for HD movies; if it's Universal or, at least for a while, Paramount, we get it on standard DVD -- the deck upscales, anyway, and looks great. I don't watch much TV so I can't say the NBC thing will really bother me. But for music, if its an album Universal won't sell through iTunes, I'll just buy a CD copy if I can find one for $10 - 12. If they want $17, I'll just live without it.
By all means I think Universal should sell music and TV through a Microsoft operation if they wish. I just think they should sell through iTunes, too. And release on Blu-ray *and* HD DVD. And third-party games should be released for any console that can handle them. I would say it's like if Universal said they'll sell CDs at Wal-Mart but not Target; but deals like that are already happening. It's ridiculous. We as consumer should start screaming about it, but I just don't have the time or energy for their sneaky deals. I suppose they're counting on that, but I don't think they're counting that I'll just do without.
Honestly I think a lot of this is coming from desperation pay-outs from Microsoft, if not cash then some sort of incentive tantamount to hard currency, because they know they're losing domination of the digital media market. But then their answer to iPod and, ultimately, iPhone* is Zune? Well, what did they expect?
*Apple is a bit guilty of this retail/platform exclusivity thing with their ATT deal. But they did apparently shop the thing around to just about everyone and ATT was the only one to seriously consider their terms and requirements.
Season Pass
Forgive me if I missed this earlier, but I've got a season pass for Psych (on USA), which has a split season (half summer, half winter). Next week is the end of the summer episodes, then they pick up again in January. Does this mean that I'm losing out on half the episodes I paid for? Aren't Apple and NBC contractually obligated to provide me with the remaining episodes?
I've got the same sinking feeling I get as when I go buy a car: I'm going to get screwed and there's nothing I can do about it.
Forgive me if I missed this earlier, but I've got a season pass for Psych (on USA), which has a split season (half summer, half winter). Next week is the end of the summer episodes, then they pick up again in January. Does this mean that I'm losing out on half the episodes I paid for? Aren't Apple and NBC contractually obligated to provide me with the remaining episodes?
I've got the same sinking feeling I get as when I go buy a car: I'm going to get screwed and there's nothing I can do about it.
I think Apple stopping selling prematurely is being stubborn and Steve Jobs, Eddie Cue and team saying they will only do business their way. I think thats sad and driving other companies away from them.
If only Apple were more open to working, negotiating and COMPROMISE with other companies. Especially those companies they are dependent on for excellent content for their Video Ipods and Apple TV's. Hell NBC/Uni was 30-40% of their tv content for some periods. DAMN APPLE IS STUBBORN AND BEING STUPID. I love their products, but their business development ideas are monopolistic and one size fits all.
I posted this statement in another topic that is related... think it should be here also:
Well, I am a huge Apple supporter in everything BUT their policies in how they deal with content suppliers. Increasingly Apple acts in an arrogant manner which tells people in a very narrow fashion how the music or movies will be sold.
So, the end result is that Universal Music, and now NBC, are willing to part ways from Apple in order to push the issue.
Apple here is the one who needs to be responsive to the creative companies who supply the wonderful content we enjoy on our computers, Ipods, Iphones and Apple TV's.
How can Apple improve? Allow the content owners to set Suggested retail pricing, and have it be variable. Much content wouldn't change in price, but some would. So, instead of being $1.99 for every tv episode, companies could set it to $2.50 or $3.00 or $3.50 for a two hour episode.
Apple has been strong arming music companies and this is why there is a limited amount of movies available. So.... Apple is the one here who needs to change. it really is the content companies who are protecting their best interests because Apple wont.
If only Apple were more open to working, negotiating and COMPROMISE with other companies. Especially those companies they are dependent on for excellent content for their Video Ipods and Apple TV's. Hell NBC/Uni was 30-40% of their tv content for some periods. DAMN APPLE IS STUBBORN AND BEING STUPID. I love their products, but their business development ideas are monopolistic and one size fits all.
I posted this statement in another topic that is related... think it should be here also:
Well, I am a huge Apple supporter in everything BUT their policies in how they deal with content suppliers. Increasingly Apple acts in an arrogant manner which tells people in a very narrow fashion how the music or movies will be sold.
So, the end result is that Universal Music, and now NBC, are willing to part ways from Apple in order to push the issue.
Apple here is the one who needs to be responsive to the creative companies who supply the wonderful content we enjoy on our computers, Ipods, Iphones and Apple TV's.
How can Apple improve? Allow the content owners to set Suggested retail pricing, and have it be variable. Much content wouldn't change in price, but some would. So, instead of being $1.99 for every tv episode, companies could set it to $2.50 or $3.00 or $3.50 for a two hour episode.
Apple has been strong arming music companies and this is why there is a limited amount of movies available. So.... Apple is the one here who needs to change. it really is the content companies who are protecting their best interests because Apple wont.
Forgive me if I missed this earlier, but I've got a season pass for Psych (on USA), which has a split season (half summer, half winter). Next week is the end of the summer episodes, then they pick up again in January. Does this mean that I'm losing out on half the episodes I paid for? Aren't Apple and NBC contractually obligated to provide me with the remaining episodes?
I've got the same sinking feeling I get as when I go buy a car: I'm going to get screwed and there's nothing I can do about it.
If you bought it they owe you all the shows *or* a refund -- the refund you can get, the shows you don't have an argument so long as they'll give you a refund. When the next episodes are supposed to start showing up and they don't, contact iTunes customer service and I'm sure they'll credit your store account for the unavailable episodes. What the heck, demand the full season refunded since you paid for *full* season but were only given access to half. They'll do it. Otherwise, for shows they sold seasons passes for still owing shows this fall/winter, NBC may actually release those to fulfill the terms of sale.
As for everyone else: I said this before, but it comes a time when you have to pick what you want to support and then do so and not worry about what Bob down the street can get through the Zune store, play on his Zune, then transfer to his Verizon phone and Xbox 360, while chatting via MSN Messenger on Xbox Live all along watching an HD DVD exclusive movie on his 360 HD DVD add-on disc player.
As for the iPhone, I have an iPhone I bought last Sunday. The only thing that held me back from getting one the first weekend -- one of my local Apple stores still had enough 8GB models for me to get one Saturday morning after launch -- was my problem with ATT, their implied and sometimes overt support for warrant-less wire and data-taps, and their reporting of their Internet service customers usage records to various private copyright enforcement organizations without consent. In this case, I'm glad I bent my standards; sometimes backing off your ethical position is worth it -- although I don't think we should do it much. But I really like my iPhone. I post to a few Web forums, but I'm not an uber-surfer with the blogs and all that, yet still the iPhone lets me seamlessly use what I do use of the Internet almost anywhere I go. I like it as a mere reference tool, and it's a great iPod, too. And, well, phone.
But locked phones are nothing new. We as Apple customers just aren't accustomed to locks on Apple products, although I don't know why as with digitally distributed music and video we have been locked to iTunes Store for a long time. Sure, there are other ways to get media onto an iPod, but if you want to buy online downloads, you can go exactly one place. Still we don't feel like we're used to it.
For what it's worth, I don't think ATT was Apple's first choice, either. They shopped it everywhere and no one wanted in, either on the revenue sharing terms or the back-end network alterations and no-limits data usage for a device people are using for *a lot* of data. I don't know how Apple justifies the service revenue sharing, but I expect it may have something to do with the fact they can release a new $150 - 250 iPod every 18 months and get people to buy one for the new features. But a $600 phone, no, especially when you can go to carriers and get a quite expensive phone for free with a new contract or extension. But still they are going to have continue to support it for years with software updates and new features, knowing they're not going to be able to sell you a new one very often just to get the new features. That's R&D cost and operations cost. I assume they were looking for a continuous revenue stream beyond the initial sale to underwrite long-term enhancement and support of iPhones.
I just recently bought BSG season 3 off iTMS, I guess it's a good thing I didn't wait. No way in hell I'd have paid $4.99 an episode, though. That's just crazy talk.
You've got to be kidding. Those poor, poor sensitive and creative souls at media companies. I for one am glad Apple has been "strong-arming" music companies or I'd be paying $2.79 a track for iTunes downloads right now. Did you know they did a couple of college -- the former hot bed of Internet music piracy -- demographic studies and found that of students who downloaded music, they would choose buying from iTunes over the same quality downloads free, but in violation of copyright, from a file-sharing service? Sure piracy still exists, but iTunes was the first thing to make any strides in staunching the flow of copyrighted material into the hands of people who never did and never will pay for it. So NBC Universal can pitch a fit and leave -- only the TV shows are going; most of the music will stay, just not their new Universal DRM-free product -- having forgotten who started a revenue generator for them in digital distribution in the first place. Hey everybody over to Windows Media 'cause Steve Ballmer, he's handing out *cash*.
I didn't realize Sci-Fi was ultimately owned by NBC Universal. You know I think they'll eventually work something out. When we had DiSH Network mini-sat service they were always getting into fights with content providers, and channels would be dropped and temporarily replaced with something similar until they hashed things out.
Apple will agree to let them increase the wholesale price for the first 90 days, they'll eat the difference, then NBC will concede to drop it back to the old level thereafter. Something like that. But it will take a while as I think, seriously, a lot of this is coming from a Microsoft push to try to regain a position in the media market. Hell, a year ago they were ambivalent about HD DVD, saying they'd just make a Blu-ray add-on disc drive for their 360 console if it turned out BD won the HD disc format contest. Now they're like, Oh HD DVD is actually *losing*, hell, we better do something, so they're backing all sorts of, ahem, "initiatives" to revamp HD DVD sales. But companies like Universal NBC who freak out, probably quite a bit under the influence of Microsoft, about being totally tied to Apple, will soon freak out when they realize they're totally tied to Microsoft technologies.
Whatever happened to competing on price and quality rather than exclusivity? Hmm. End of the world is nigh. No, seriously, eventually you'll get a consumer revolt. Don't think it can't happen. Wal-Mart had to remodel their stores, their domestic labor policies, their foreign labor policies, practically the whole company, because they really started losing ground to Target which was perceived as selling better quality, being more consumer-friendly, more labor-friendly and generally of higher ethics. When the consuming public en masse gets mad, you'll see improvements.
This is sad that NBC decided to pull out from iTunes, just when things are picking for both companies. Though iTunes needs to have bigger catalogues, they cannot also afford to have expensive shows... no one will be buy it and existing customers will definitely be complaining to Apple and not NBC. The real loser here will be the customers.
Yep, Apple turning down the $4.99/episode thing makes them look bad, especially if NBC sells the episodes for $1.99 elsewhere...