Comments on: Stupid, stupid, stupid NBC withdraws from iTunes contract

By: Marcus Christopher McFann

Marcus Christopher McFann — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 01:15:00 +0000

I wonder if you still feel this way today? I think anyone that relies on Apple for media sales is stupid stupid stupid. It limits you to a certain demographic, and leaves another outside looking in. If Apple loosened its grip on exclusivity, it’d be ok, but to allow them to control your content without extending reach to anyone but the rich and priviledged doesn’t always agree with everyone.

By: jbelkin

jbelkin — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:17:53 +0000

You’re absolutely right – also, there’s nothing in Apple’s contract that is exclusive or prohibits NBC from launching hulu or nbc.com to try and draw people away from iTunes … the problem is why couldn’t they do both? So basically, they throw away revenue from Apple to spend hundreds of millions launching a new site … a new site that requires you to use Windows XP only (no Vista even), NO Macs, NO Linux – the files have to viewed in 48 HOURS or it’s dead and shows are only up for 1 WEEK and of course ads … nothing wrong with ads but one reviewer pointed out he watched some show where they only showed ONE ad like 6 times throughout the show!

This thing is something a lawyer would design not by someone who likes to watch TV.

NBC’s stand might make more sense if there was a freakin’ elephant in the room – TORRENTS.

1st choice – iTunes (70%)
2nd choice – torrent (20%)
3rd choice – not watching (5%)
4th choice – wait for DVD (4.9%)
5th choice – hulu (0.1%)

By: Chief

Chief — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:07:12 +0000

It took a while for the music industry to figure it out. Now its’ the video provider’s turn.

The world is going mobile, with you or without. We’ll still get our copies of your shows to our mobile devices. You, the video provider, need to decide to make it easy and affordable for us to do so, or try to restrict this to a single device, operating system, or process, like a subscription.

The iTunes Store has flaws, but its overall execution is great. One stop for video and music, iPod or no, but if you do, you’re done. Reasonable DRM that satisfies the legals yet doesn’t get in the way of the buyer’s fair use. Works on Windows or Mac.

Of course, such bad decisions are on par with NBC, a company that should still be kicking themselves for reliquishing the rights to a small cult TV show called “Star Trek.” Don’t mistake their broadcast successes such as “Heroes” and “Battlestar Galactica” (on Sci-Fi Channel) as necessarily thought out. This media access change indicates that their business acumen is still on par with a tiny furry mammal without the tiny brain inside. When they realize that their sales numbers are terrible, they may reconsider. In the meantime, oh, well. Torrents for all, I guess.

By: fog city dave

fog city dave — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:31:24 +0000

I agree completely with your rant and have mailed off my own nasty emails to NBC Universal over this debacle. I do, however, take issue with your categorization of the iPhone. It certainly IS brilliant. Absolutely the most advanced and fascinating piece of tech I’ve ever encountered. One doesn’t have to be perfect to be brilliant.

And good luck waiting for Samsung, LG and Nokia to figure this stuff out. None of these guys will experience great success until they abandon Microsoft’s proprietary DRM. The only other option right now is Apple’s own proprietary DRM , which Apple’s not going to share with anyone, so DRM has got to go if anyone wants to compete with Apple in this area. Here’s hoping we’ll see them smarten up enough to all get together as an industry and force the content providers to remove all DRM from everything. Now, let’s all hold our breaths…

By: MRZ

MRZ — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:01:18 +0000

Plus, Hulu is ad-supported. So you can tetheryourself to the Tivo and watch ad-supported content or to the computer to watch ad-supported content. This would be a distinction without a difference, were it not for the fact that you can zip through the ads with Tivo and your TV is bigger and is attached to a better sound system.

By: Britt

Britt — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:51:33 +0000

I agree with the author. I think NBC is stupid, and I think that the hulu thing will ultimately fail, and prove once and for all that they need Apple. Its not bad to need all the time… they could have had a nice synergetic relationship.

By: Ted T.

Ted T. — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:18:13 +0000

“Only read the first half – donâ€™t get angry too soon! http://www.hulu.com is a venture that NBC are involved with alongside some of the other biggâ€™uns that will ultimately provide on-demand streaming of all the shows.”
You MUST be joking. How are you going to get these shows to your iPod, iPhone or TV for that matter, if it isn’t attached to a computer? This service is destined to follow PressPlay, MusicMatch and all other similar anti-consumer services into the toilet.

By: WTF

WTF — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:36:52 +0000

Why is it that every blog post I see even remotely involving the iTunes/NBC scuffle has some peculiarly well-written post right near the top urging people to calm down because hulu will save the day? Do I smell astroturf? Hulu is doomed from the start, people. It requires a live internet connection and a browser, and only does streaming and with shit quality at that. No provision has been made to download the shows and watch them in the gym, or on the bus, or anywhere except tethered to a freaking cable. Who do they think they’re kidding?

By: Ewan

Ewan — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:18:51 +0000

Right but what if I want to get Hulu stuff on iPhone or iPod? EXTREMELY annoying. I hope it’s push-a-button simple.

By: Geoff Wright

Geoff Wright — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:16:55 +0000

Only read the first half – don’t get angry too soon! http://www.hulu.com is a venture that NBC are involved with alongside some of the other bigg’uns that will ultimately provide on-demand streaming of all the shows.