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NBC Direct to Offer TV Shows

This may be bad for iTunes, but it really doesn't seem like it will be bad for the consumer. Free viewing for a week after air date, and future plans to buy content. Unless it costs more than iTunes or has some insanely restrictive DRM not allowing play on an iPod, I don't see any problem with a network distributing their own shows and I'm surprised it took them this long to do it.

Didn't NBC just announce their shows would be available from a different content provider after breaking with iTunes though?
 
I'm so glad I don't watch enough TV to be sucked into any show and then get caught up in purchasing them online. That's not to say there aren't times when I would like to see something, but it's usually a special like "Blue Planet."

When I heard the rumor that Apple would like to decrease the cost to the customer, I thought it was the right thing to do. I have no idea if that's happened or not. Also, I don't see where it makes financial sense for NBC to create their own distribution model when they can use someone else's more established method; regardless if it's Apple or someone else. If I were a network executive, I'd want to get my shows in as many channels as possible in order to get as much exposure as possible.
 
Fait accompli?

Just curious what people think about whether NBC could or might also have their shows in iTunes if they reconsider (or if Apple decides to compromise on the terms).

Would having them in iTunes let them earn more revenue, from having more ways that consumers could get the shows, or would it hurt revenue by interfering with NBC Direct? Would anything in an iTunes contract prevent them from being in iTunes while also running NBC Direct?
 
spazzcat said:
Why it is so hard for them to figure out people don't want to watch TV shows on their computer :confused:
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I beg to differ. Plenty of people who didn't TiVo the episode or those who just want to watch a past episode (not referring to this damn NBC thing) just pay the $1.99 and enjoy the episode... unless youre talking 24 here. then u need a good old 65" Plasma with surround sound :D

only good show on NBC right now is 30 Rock... glad Seinfeld is back!
 
Laaa hoooo... saaaa heeerrs

Why not sell your crap on iTunes AND sell it other places? To pull out all together is idiotic and NBC deserves all of the bad publicity and piracy this creates.
 
It's funny how everyone and their mom thinks that they can take down iTunes. There is no way that is going to happen anytime soon. Apple is currently doing nothing wrong with iTunes/iPod. Microsoft is the giant of computers and because of the mess known as Vista people are looking at alternatives like the Mac. Apple may be the giant of online content but again they are not messing anything up. iTunes will not fall because NBC withdrew from iTunes and is doing their own thing. We got along without them for years so why do we need them now?
 
johnmcboston said:
I don't get the "one week after broadcast". Why not expire them one week after download? This effectively means you can never 'catch up' on a season, only watch something within 6 days of missing it. Pretty much useless.
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The point would be so that you can't watch the entire season without buying it, at least thats my guess, it's not neccesarily a stupid idea in my opinion(although i would rather it was a week from download just like you)
 
I'd love to say "Well, that's it, I will no longer watch NBC. F--- them.", however, as I already don't watch NBC or any other channel, it's a little bit hard for me to more not-watch NBC than I already am.

The only way this interests me is tangentially inasmuch as Microsoft gets to soak up any further market share or presence in the entertainment industry. Beyond that, well... if the society I live in doesn't have the intelligence, wisdom, or intestinal fortitude to put a halt to it, then as far as I'm concerned, my fellow Americans deserve exactly what they get.

Just my 2¢.
 
NBC going down in flames...

Let's face it. Many of us spend most of the work day sitting in front of computers and the last thing we want to do to relax is to sit in front of yet another computer to watch a tv show. Couches and big screens are the future (or present).

NBC is just a shadow of it's former self. Remember great shows like Cheers, ER (about a decade ago). Law and Order before there were half a dozen off shoots. SNL 20+ years ago when it was actually funny?

The Emmys were just announced and the SNL skit "D*ck in a Box" received a Technical Emmy. Must have been for the way that they got the boxes to "stay up" if you know what I mean.

This is all the proof you need to see that Broadcast TV is last Century's technology. Be thankful that one day great entertainment will be available over the internet and companies like GE/NBC will be only mentioned in museums.
 
Gherkin said:
This may be bad for iTunes, but it really doesn't seem like it will be bad for the consumer. Free viewing for a week after air date, and future plans to buy content. Unless it costs more than iTunes or has some insanely restrictive DRM not allowing play on an iPod, I don't see any problem with a network distributing their own shows and I'm surprised it took them this long to do it.
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If your assumptions were true, a lot less people would be complaining here.

However:
  • NBC insists on DRM.
  • The only way to put DRM-protected content on an iPod is via iTunes.
Now do you see the picture?
 
For the record, I have ALWAYS paid for my Office downloads until now. I don't want to watch them the week they air, I want to watch them whenever I want. Plus I don't have a PC.

Now I'm just going to have to pirate the shows like everyone else. The quality won't be as good, and it's gunna be a pain in the ass to get them onto my iPod.

NBC, you're an idiot.
 
ajhill said:
The Emmys were just announced and the SNL skit "D*ck in a Box" received a Technical Emmy. Must have been for the way that they got the boxes to "stay up" if you know what I mean.
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That skit was the only funny thing SNL has put out in at least the past 5 years. Part of the allure to downloading shows is to either watch them on a TV later, OR watch them on the go. Apple covers both, appleTV and ipod/iphone. TiVo can timeshift and record for later useage.

This will be another mess, and I say coming from a business perspective, not as an Apple user. iPod/iPhone/iTunes all work, and can stand stronger than illegal downloads and other services, because it is so darn simple to find what you want, and play it where you want.
 
I dunno, I think it was a smart move on NBC. Bad for us, because it's ::gasp:: taking away from apple! But doing their own service drives users ONLY their way and they don't have to share. They have full control, and are probably making more $$ off advertisements than they were selling the shows. I would rather watch it free on the NBC site than pay 1.99 for it. I don't care about keeping it. My biggest concern is watching 30rock and the office (and scrubs!!!) because Smallville is on at the same time... so someone is gonna win each week for my viewing pleasure. With it free online I win both! Watch smallville on TV and then the others online.
 
bgold said:
For the record, I have ALWAYS paid for my Office downloads until now. I don't want to watch them the week they air, I want to watch them whenever I want. Plus I don't have a PC.

Now I'm just going to have to pirate the shows like everyone else. The quality won't be as good, and it's gunna be a pain in the ass to get them onto my iPod.

NBC, you're an idiot.
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agreed... either that or rip the season dvd's.
 
GoinDownSlow said:
With all due respect to Stewart and Colbert, what's keeping me glued to Comedy Central is the hour before their shows. I've recently been smitten by Scrubs (in syndication on Comedy Central), and I think it's the best show on TV. A real shame that not all past episodes are available on iTunes, and the new ones won't be once NBC pulls out.

That, and this season is its last.
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I have some friends. There names are Tivo, Torrent, WatchitonNBC.com, Rerun, and DVD. You should meet them, particularly Torrent. He's a great guy I think you'll like him.
 
What's interesting is this:

"Future versions of "NBC Direct," which will roll out over the next several months, will provide expanded platform functionality and will allow DRM ("digital rights management") protected versions of its programs to be downloaded to Macs and portable devices in addition to PCs."

If NBC bows to the ubiquity of the iPod and allows these files to be dragged into iTunes, then this could be more or less good news for Apple, as it will continue to drive sales of newer, larger capacity iPods, which is the whole point (or 90% of the point) of iTunes, anyway.
 
Sounds like a good realistic move.

I think this is a good move. This is the most likely approach to succeed. Apple is not setup to take allow the natural TV viewing model. This it the way we watch TV today. We don't pay for it (unless you count cable), and you end up having commercials. Why should it be different online.
iTunes and AppleTV don't support this model. Apple needs to do something to easily support this, at least allow AppleTV and iPods to work with something like this.
Apple should strive to be the gateway service for all media outlets. Instead its a bottleneck. Steve is fighting a losing battle if he thinks he's going to change the way this works.
I have never and will like never pay to watch a TV show that I can view for free when broadcast, even though it has commercials.

My only complaint is that they don't support Macs. ABC has a similar service which does support Macs and even supports highdef. Its great, although i don't like any of the shows offered.
 
NewSc2 said:
Why are you all complaining? NBC wants to offer it for free now. There's no indication that next year they'll stop offering it for free, but they will probably add a download-to-own feature.
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Reason for complaint: because NBC won't support macs at launch, and in fact, isn't supporting macs now with its Amazon solution. What a crock. They're asking mac users to forego legal download and look for torrents, I guess.
 
Good to see the full catalog available online. ABC has been doing it for a couple of seasons now, and it helps to catch the shows I miss. I'm sure my situation isn't unique: I have a PC at work and a Mac at home, so the platform doesn't bother me. Access is what's important to me, and I appreciate the folks at NBC for making the programs available online.
 
short-sighted

why not still have them at iTunes as well.

I like to watch TV, not just NBC. Don't make me go to two or three or 10 places to get TV. When I buy books I go to Barnes And Noble or Amazon.com, I don't go to Simon And Schuster and Penguin and Random House... c'mon NBC. Don't hide your stuff.
 
I will make the passing comment that regardless of what NBC does, things like Miro and tvrss.net are the wave of the future and allow you to download shows for free (not necessarily legally). And not just from the big three networks. There are thousands of video production sites, otherwise known as channels available on the web. AppleTV needs better integration with ways to get video from the internet. AppleTV is so restrictive today that its worthless. Thats why I plan to get a Mini when Leopard comes out. The Mini can run Miro or whatever tomorrows video download and viewing program is called.
 
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