Apple seems to be struggling with TV networks to provide timely release of TV shows on the iTunes store. Various new TV shows this season are not currently offered on iTunes at all - NBC Kidnapped is just one example. While ABC'S Heroes is on iTunes, it is still missing the series opener - episode 1. Battlestar Galactica season 3 took 5 days from original TV showing until it was available for purchase on iTunes. BSG episode 2 is still not listed for download even though the episode aired on TV last night.
It is too bad that TV networks have yet to truly embraced the internet as a viable medium for their programming. ABC's free internet streaming is a far cry from iTunes' commercial free downloads - user experience, quality, and accessibility are just not there with streaming videos. While I have never watched a single streaming show from ABC, I have purchased over 50 different TV shows from iTunes.
Hopefully Apple will be more successful in convincing TV Networks that iTunes provides the networks with an audience that is willing to pay for legal content and an audience that would not be watching TV shows otherwise.
TV Networks should be embracing iTunes as a legal vehicle for commercial distribution of their content instead of driving users to downloading shows from torrent networks.
NBC's Kidnapped was one new show this season that peaked my interest, but its absence from iTunes means that I will not be giving it a chance at all.
At our house, we switched to using iTunes exclusively for watching our TV shows (mostly Lost and BSG, and now 24). TIVo became relegated to simply pausing live sporting events.
BTW - we prefer iTunes over Tivo because iTunes gives us the ability to watch a TV Show remotely - on our laptop, desktop, TV or iPod. What ever happened with the Tivo to Go initiative?
Cris Pierry
Technorati Tags: Battlestar Galactica, iTunes, TIVO, TV
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