Apple cancels NBC Fall TV lineup on iTunes
Monday, September 3, 2007
Due to a standoff between NBC Universal and Apple Inc. regarding pricing of NBC shows on iTunes, Apple Inc. has canceled NBC's lineup of new shows. Currently, NBC shows can be downloaded for US$1.99. If Apple were to continue having the new season NBC shows available, NBC would require a download fee of $4.99, an increase of $3 per download. This is something that Apple is simply not willing to do to its customers.
The rift, encompassing all NBC news, entertainment and sports programming requires that Apple no longer offer NBC's videos on iTunes after the current contract expires in December. In an effort to prevent disappointing iTunes customers, Apple has decided not to offer any of the NBC shows in September because they would have to pull the shows mid-season when the contract expires in December.
“ | We are disappointed to see NBC leave iTunes because we would not agree to their dramatic price increase,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We hope they will change their minds and offer their TV shows to the tens of millions of iTunes customers. | ” |
Sources
edit- Antone Gonsalves. "Apple Cancels NBC Fall TV Lineup On iTunes" — Information Week, September 3, 2007
- Troy Wolverton. "ITunes viewers, please stand by" — San Jose Mercury News, September 3, 2007