NBC-Universal Pulls Out of iTunes

Posted by: Arik Hesseldahl on August 31

The New York Times via Digg is reporting that negotiations between Apple and NBC-Universal have not ended well, and the media concern is pulling its TV shows off iTunes. This is a big setback for Apple’s TV programming content business. The current agreement extends through December, and as it turns out some of the most popular shows on iTunes include “Heroes”, “The Office” and my personal favorite, “Battlestar Galactica.” (And wouldn’t you know it, the new season of Galactica doesn’t start until January 2008.)

The Times also notes that several other agreements with TV networks, including CBS, Discovery and News Corp. are coming up for renewal, and all contain the same 90-day notice period.

Oh and by the way, both NBC and News Corp. are partners in Hulu.com the oddly-named online video joint venture that is set to begin beta testing in October.

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Reader Comments

Tommo_UK

August 31, 2007 08:44 AM

Careful... they have NOT pulled the shows. They HAVE chosen not to renew the contract yet. Universal didn't renew their music contract either, but neither did they pull their music off iTunes.

This is a load of HooHah (or maybe I should say "Hulu") over nothing.

just someone

August 31, 2007 08:50 AM

Too bad.

I was buying all those shows on iTunes. I guess that the $30-40 per season (more than the DVD cost) was not making them any cash.

A shame really... I don't know anyone who wants to sit through the crappy experience that the studios can provide by themselves.

TPG

September 1, 2007 01:53 AM

How, exactly, is cutting off your largest online distributor of programming a setback for your distributor, when they make little or no money from the deal anyway? Seems to me like NBC just cut off their primary online revenue stream, for what? To prove a point? Right before the fall season? Are they nuts?

Except in this game of chicken, Apple said "Bye bye now". Looks like it's back to TIVO, DVR or Torrent for your favorite Battlestar Galactica. Don't worry, it's still easy to get into iTunes.

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A blog on the daily doings of Apple and the many companies in its orbit, with insight and analysis by two longtime Apple-watchers BusinessWeek Senior Writer Peter Burrows and BusinessWeek.com Senior Technology Writer Arik Hesseldahl.

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