NBC cancels iTunes contract

Ouch. Another in a long line of disagreements with Apple about the pricing of content on iTunes, another somewhat unexpected blow to the internet's largest digital media etailer. NBC Universal, iTunes's number one seller, apparently backed out of renewing its contract with Apple after failing to get Cupertino to come around to its point of view on pricing, bundling content together, and -- get this -- more restrictive DRM. We weren't present for the discussions, but here's how we expect it went:

NBC: Ok. So. We'd like to re-negotiate our contract -- top priority is, well, basically we want more money.
Apple: No.
NBC: No what? No re-negotiation? Or no more money?
Apple: No.
NBC: Why don't you guys just charge more money for our shows? That's fine by us.
Apple: Are you new around here?

We don't yet know if NBC has in place the same kind of at-will sales agreement that Universal has, but apparently sales will continue through December. Then we guess everyone jumps ship for NewCo, er, what's it called now? Hulu? Whatever.

[Thanks, LordFarkward]

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2007 3:28PM]

im sure 50 people have said this beofre me because i havnt read all the comments but ill just say that if NBC is going to be a douche, they can FO and ill just torrent their shows. im not buying anything from anyone but itunes, its the cheapest best, quality, and best intigration with my mac/life.

F DRM AND F NBC! F'ers!

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2007 11:34AM]

Who cares. iTunes suck ass.

[JL Posted Aug 31st 2007 1:26PM]

Wow, talking about drinking the kool-aid

A lot of you sound like shills for the great Apple - Oh!!! No one touches
Apple - Apple cares about its customers - oh please, give me a break.

At the end of the day Apple is just another corporation with a monopoly.
You mean NBC/Universal doesn't have the right to ask for more money for their
content??

I personally think they're all ripping you guys off, but if you choose to spend your money on degraded content, so be it.

I know i'm not the first one to say this but it bears repeating - Why is it ok for Apple to be a monopoly yet Microsoft is some evil enterprise?

I just mention them because yes, some NBC/Universal content is available on xbox live and from what i've seen of it - it is competition for the great all mighty iTunes (the p.o.s. application on windows that it is.. sorry)

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2007 1:57PM]

Reading your post, it's quite clear who drank the "kool aid".

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2007 2:01PM]

Because way (WAY) more people use the free iTunes than who pay for an XBox 360 and then get ass-pillaged for Xbox Live every year. I know this will be tough to swallow, but this thing is bigger than videogame consoles.

[JL Posted Aug 31st 2007 3:37PM]

1 - You mean it's free to download a song from iTunes?? I thought you had to pay for the music.

2 - I don't have a 360, i've been given a tour of xbl by friends who do have one. It may be bigger, but some of the same content is on both sources, is it not??

I'm just saying it's better to have more than one place to go to for the content you are willing to pay for. I shouldn't have to deal with an eco-system (iTunes) that doesn't provide a user experience to my liking.

As for drinking the kool-aid, i'm not the one jumping to the defense of Apple just because one of it's content providers wants a better deal.

You all do know it costs those companies money to produce and distribute their content??

But go ahead, keep thinking that Apple is the "we can do no wrong" monopoly.
(And i'm not advocating for Microsoft either - they've done plenty to earn my ire over the years as well)

Answer me one question Apple fans - Why do I have to be locked into one source for the content I wish to purchase/view?????

[JL Posted Aug 31st 2007 4:17PM]

2 - I don't have a 360, i've been given a tour of xbl by friends who do have one. It may be bigger, but some of the same content is on both sources, is it not??

Meant to say iTunes is bigger/more content than xbl - my apologies

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 1st 2007 7:13PM]

If NBC doesn't like monopolies, if they think they should have a wider range of digital distribution channels they should at least stay on iTunes.
Why do the media companies think it either iTunes or the rest.
What they did now is just fucking mess.
Good job media companies!

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 13th 2007 2:49AM]

Hulu is crap, and I've about had it with this ridiculous notion that somehow the internet is compatible with outdated concepts of national borders. Content on sale in one part of the world should be on sale in all parts of the world. I'm an economist, and I have no idea what makes the media choose to do these silly international deals that require Hulu or iTunes or any other official medium to restrict viewing to what "they think" are just US customers. I'm a US citizen living abroad. Hehe, maybe they will start requiring social security ID numbers to watch next. Frak them! NBC Sucks! Up with the next generation of writers and directors that will say frak you to big television and produce direct for the internet. Down with NBC!!