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Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. to Be Swing Vote for 99-Cent iTunes TV Show Rentals?
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While I agree that .99$ is not a great deal the whole renting idea does make a lot of sense. Most shows you are going to watch exactly once (infact I think I haven't rerun a single epsiode of any TV show I bought of iTunes so far and I bought quite a few). So why spend 2-3$ when most likely you are going to watch it exactly once.
And renting would be especially great for catch-up viewing. Say I missed 1,2,3 episodes because I was out of town. Download them real quick and be back up to date right away, sounds great to me .. and reasonably cheap as well.
T.
So true, I would give up cable in a heart beat for a fast, stable internet connection! If i want to watch a sporting event i COULD go to bars, or a friends house, parents whatever... So yes.. bye bye cable, if i had to make a choice
My apartment comes with basic cable (it's built into the building, they have a deal with TWC or something) so I only pay $15/month for digital. That's another one of the major problems with Apple's plan. Cable companies are in many cases too deeply integrated into things. If I switch to iTV so I can watch shows without commercials and just ignore my built-in cable, I would actually be losing money. My hands are tied.
This proposed pricing structure is too high!
Borrowing a television show for .99 cents is way too expensive. It should be a quarter (if that).
Most people watch a particular television episode once and only once. .99 cents is way too expensive for that... .99 for a song I listen to dozens and dozens of time is worth it.
Unlike music, I can imagine most people would have very little problem with downloading a missed episode of their favorite show from a torrent, watching it, then discarding it...
Borrowing a television show for .99 cents is way too expensive. It should be a quarter (if that).
Most people watch a particular television episode once and only once. .99 cents is way too expensive for that... .99 for a song I listen to dozens and dozens of time is worth it.
Unlike music, I can imagine most people would have very little problem with downloading a missed episode of their favorite show from a torrent, watching it, then discarding it...
Not even Twin Peaks? I can watch Twin Peaks over and over again, House, Stargate Universe, Dexter and Mad Men too.
You are forgetting that you pay a premium to see something right away though. I can't rent a movie on Netflix 24 hours after it's released in theaters. I can't watch an episode from a TV series within 24 hours on Netflix either.
If you are looking for cheap CONTENT, I completely agree, Netflix is probably the way to go if you mind waiting awhile and don't want it immediately, and don't want to see any current seasons of TV, and want to limit yourself to a physical disc or streaming format, with no renting and viewing on your iPod Touch in areas where you don't have an internet connection.
No thanks, I'll keep watching Netflix
A DOLLAR an episode? Why would I pay that when I can watch streaming Netflix unlimited for 8.99 a month? Admittedly, they don't have the newest content, and the catalog is somewhat limited for now, but the selection is growing and the iPhone/iPod/iPad app really sweetened the deal. It's time Apple implemented a subscription-based content delivery service that is competitive with Hulu, Netflix, etc. How about movies, music and TV shows streamed to my iOS devices for a monthly fee?
A DOLLAR an episode? Why would I pay that when I can watch streaming Netflix unlimited for 8.99 a month? Admittedly, they don't have the newest content, and the catalog is somewhat limited for now, but the selection is growing and the iPhone/iPod/iPad app really sweetened the deal. It's time Apple implemented a subscription-based content delivery service that is competitive with Hulu, Netflix, etc. How about movies, music and TV shows streamed to my iOS devices for a monthly fee?
Living in NYC, I pay about $80/month for cable and internet through TimeWarner. I moved upstate to Rochester for a bit, and when setting up a TimeWarner account there the SAME plan was $150/month. I asked why, and the answer was a run around "we have a monopoly". It seems there is a contract that stipulates Frontier (formally Rochester Telephone) and TimeWarner are the only providers in this market. Meanwhile, VerizonFIOS' huge hub is in Buffalo, and skips Rochester right through to Syracuse and Albany. So Frontier (who offers Dish) and TimeWarner are jerking Rochester, NY around by working to up-charge residents. There's a ton of petitions online but you know politicians and lobbyists, good luck.
Personally, I say screw 'em! These companies couldn't care less about their clients. The less people use them, the more likely they'll begin to listen and adjust their "policy", though not likely...
I still don't get this. Rupert Murdoch is undoubtedly THE best person Steve Jobs can get into bed with in regards to pay TV. He is the man that started Sky in the UK which now has it's service in over 9 million UK households.
And that's what I don't get, why get into bed with Apple and then threaten potential sales or subscribers from your own Pay TV company which is bloody successful? But I think Sky is only sold in the UK?
I suppose Murdoch sees it as a good way to get it's future newspaper plans onto the iPad etc. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours....
And that's what I don't get, why get into bed with Apple and then threaten potential sales or subscribers from your own Pay TV company which is bloody successful? But I think Sky is only sold in the UK?
I suppose Murdoch sees it as a good way to get it's future newspaper plans onto the iPad etc. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours....
if you want new content theres Hulu, or if you already have cable theres On Demand, there is no reason to waste money on this overpriced rental service
That's frightening as I do not want news coming from one major (skewed) source, but from many various, independent sources. Dominating the news and technology industry would negatively impact communications and global connectivity, and possibly make a single corporation (now deemed a "person" by the Supreme Court) one of the most influential and powerful organizations to date, even more so than government(s). He who controls the information...
Yup. I agree. Netflix seems like the only place that consistently gets things right. One low fee for everything. Their apps are popping up everywhere - and for free. That seems to be the model so far that's gonna win out. iTunes is much too expensive right now.A DOLLAR an episode? Why would I pay that when I can watch streaming Netflix unlimited for 8.99 a month? Admittedly, they don't have the newest content, and the catalog is somewhat limited for now, but the selection is growing and the iPhone/iPod/iPad app really sweetened the deal. It's time Apple implemented a subscription-based content delivery service that is competitive with Hulu, Netflix, etc. How about movies, music and TV shows streamed to my iOS devices for a monthly fee?
Great, so now I can rent "Red Eye" and other AMAZING Fox News programs.
Sounds good to me - "Red Eye" is too funny - 'just on too late. And Fox news kills all the other so-called news channels - in both content and ratings!
WRONG. Fox News is the only skewed radical right "news" station, while the rest cater to a more independent/left leaning demographic. To be statistically accurate, you would need to combine the ratings of CNN/MSNBC/etc. against Fox, otherwise it's skewed, and debatable. It's like stating Company 1 sells product A, while companies 2, 3, 4 sell products B, C and D but not A. Concluding that company 1 sells more of a product not available elsewhere, thus making them the bigger company is inaccurate... and "Blind Eye" is pathetic. Cracking jokes about the LGBT community, wow, funny. Colbert alone kills the ratings for "Red Eye".
and done with this, it isn't about Fox News...
Every other piece of media which permeates the boob tube is skewed to the left, and you want FNC gone? You guys don't have enough with ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNN, PMSNBC ? Can you please leave my channel alone. We only have one.
I hope Murdock unleashes a 24/7 iPad Fox News Live app.
Well it looks like this is official now.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/08/31/apple-set-to-announce-99-cent-fox-abc-rentals/
A very, very stupid plan by Apple. If you are going to pay .99 for something you don't own and can only watch once then why not just watch it online?
I didn't mind the 1.99 or 2.99 price tag because I owned the episode.
If they remove the option to purchase I don't see how this benefits anyone.
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/08/31/apple-set-to-announce-99-cent-fox-abc-rentals/
A very, very stupid plan by Apple. If you are going to pay .99 for something you don't own and can only watch once then why not just watch it online?
I didn't mind the 1.99 or 2.99 price tag because I owned the episode.
If they remove the option to purchase I don't see how this benefits anyone.
Because, hopefully, you'll be able to download it and watch it anywhere that there is not an internet connection and not have to stream it. Some of us don't have $30 data plans w/ iPhones, $10 Hulu Plus, and $9 Netflix, but still want to watch something on our iPod Touches when away from an internet connection.
I personally agree with some other poster, 30 minute shows should be .50 cents.
Also, I'll play devil's advocate here to people who say this can't compete with owning the show.
Say you are a sensible person. And you realize after buying many DVDs you just don't watch them enough to own them. But you do want to be able to watch certain episodes on a whim which is the advantage to owning them. This gives you the option of being able to watch when you want without paying the money to own them. You would have to rewatch the series (or episode if you can buy the episode seperately) several times to justify actually buying it. This is particularly damaging for shows only offered for sale in entire series (cause you'd have to watch the episodes you like a whole lot to make up for cost of series or rewatch the series a whole lot).
For now, you don't really have that option so you have to buy it to be able to watch it when you want.
So, yes, I could see the arguement that rental would cut into purchases.
And why do I see this arguement? Cause I've been looking at all the shows (mostly anime) I own and realizing that for the amount they cost, I don't watch them even close to enough to justify it. But, well, I'm stuck if I want easy access to them. If they had those series for rent, I could see myself just saying rent it if you really want to see it (and for how much anime costs... it's dirt cheap to rent even at 1 dollar an episode).
Of course, I still think 1 dollar for a thirty minute episode is ridiculous and that would probably chase me away even if common sense side says I'd still save money if I made myself do that rather than buying the series.
Also, I'll play devil's advocate here to people who say this can't compete with owning the show.
Say you are a sensible person. And you realize after buying many DVDs you just don't watch them enough to own them. But you do want to be able to watch certain episodes on a whim which is the advantage to owning them. This gives you the option of being able to watch when you want without paying the money to own them. You would have to rewatch the series (or episode if you can buy the episode seperately) several times to justify actually buying it. This is particularly damaging for shows only offered for sale in entire series (cause you'd have to watch the episodes you like a whole lot to make up for cost of series or rewatch the series a whole lot).
For now, you don't really have that option so you have to buy it to be able to watch it when you want.
So, yes, I could see the arguement that rental would cut into purchases.
And why do I see this arguement? Cause I've been looking at all the shows (mostly anime) I own and realizing that for the amount they cost, I don't watch them even close to enough to justify it. But, well, I'm stuck if I want easy access to them. If they had those series for rent, I could see myself just saying rent it if you really want to see it (and for how much anime costs... it's dirt cheap to rent even at 1 dollar an episode).
Of course, I still think 1 dollar for a thirty minute episode is ridiculous and that would probably chase me away even if common sense side says I'd still save money if I made myself do that rather than buying the series.