Filed under: iTS, Video, iTunes
NBC and ABC gets higher ratings thanks to iTunes
NBC
is seeing great ratings for The Office, and they think that
the iTunes Music Store is part of the reason. It is the most downloaded of all NBC material on iTunes, and it is
consistently the top downloaded TV show. ABC is also seeing similar gains with their shows that are available on iTunes. Does this mean that they will both soon open the floodgates and make available much more content on iTunes? I sure hope so, because I want to cancel my cable and watch only iTunes downloaded videos.
[via iLounge]
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GadgetTV said 7:29PM on 1-16-2006
Hmmm. TV channels are happy with iTunes downloads but you just cant seem to please the music industry.
Reply
Porchland said 8:11PM on 1-16-2006
More downloads = bigger TV audience
I really hoped to see Fox and CBS get announced at Macworld. I've got my fingers crossed that we'll get a new show tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.
Reply
Marvo said 8:11PM on 1-16-2006
I wish I could cancel my cable, but that probably won't happen until The Daily Show is available for download on iTunes.
Reply
ChrisM70 said 8:13PM on 1-16-2006
I hope the dimwits at FOX are reading this...
Perhaps they could make some money from the few really good shows they have, mainly Arrested Development and their FX standout The Shield.
Long live video downloads and entertainment on demand!
Reply
Moosey said 8:43PM on 1-16-2006
This is entirely true. I tested out The Office on iTunes and now I'm a fan of the show. Nice work, Apple!
Reply
umijin said 9:31PM on 1-16-2006
Hmmm... I read NBC is dead last in TV ratings, so the fact that they have better ratings is not impressive. They couldn't have worse relative ratings, apparently. So, unless they move up over the other networks - this isn't much news.
Reply
Tracye said 10:16PM on 1-16-2006
Great. Hopefully soon I can quit holding my breath... I want NBC to offer My Name Is Earl for download.
And now maybe FOX will stop holding out... The Simpsons would bring in a lot of dough for them and if they add FX's Nip/Tuck, I will cancel my cable that very day.
Reply
Erik said 11:39PM on 1-16-2006
Even though I have a Comcast Digital Cable with a DVR, the video quality of SciFi channel is absolutely terrible (even worse than when it was on an analog channel). I've been downloading Battlestar Galactica and playing it from my iPod to the TV via a A/V cable and the quality is way better (even though the video intended for the iPod is smaller size 320x240 or something like that).
Reply
Charles Powne said 11:57PM on 1-16-2006
"I want to cancel my cable and watch only iTunes downloaded videos."
Paying $1.99 to watch a TV show is an expensive proposition if you watch more than a few shows a month. But imagine how fast people would dump their cable TV if Apple offered a subscription service with tethered downloads. $19.99 for all-you-can-eat viewing. Talk about upsetting a few apple carts.
Reply
andy said 1:03AM on 1-17-2006
Charles, they will *eventually* offer subscriptions, I'm sure. Jobs has says a few things that make me believe this.
I just wish NBC would offer Scrubs,
Reply
Ds said 1:32AM on 1-17-2006
24!!!
My WB DVR did'nt record the last 15 min of the first episode s5. There was a footaball game that went overtime making 24 finish 15 after 10. My Dvr did not anticipate this. Argh.
Reply
Jeff said 1:45AM on 1-17-2006
"Paying $1.99 to watch a TV show is an expensive proposition if you watch more than a few shows a month. But imagine how fast people would dump their cable TV if Apple offered a subscription service with tethered downloads. $19.99 for all-you-can-eat viewing. Talk about upsetting a few apple carts."
I can't wait for that, but until iTunes offers picture quality on par with my HD tv, I'll stick with cable to watch Lost.
Reply
Mac Diva said 5:05AM on 1-17-2006
I've read that CBS is dancing with Google Video. However, considering its limitations, maybe the network will sell some programs to iTMS, too.
Erik, I also got hooked on "Battlestar Galactia" via iTMS. I downloaded that near half-hour free Sci FI Inside introduction. Next, came the miniseries. Now, I have all the episodes (used those Christmas gift iTMS cards) and await each new one. The resolution is very good on my 5g iPod. I tend to watch a show on it and then again on the computer the next day. There is also an excellent Podcast about each week's episode by the creators that you can download from iTMS.
If you look at David Eick's video blog, you will see a high number of Macs being used by the "Battlestar Galactia' people. He writes his scripts on a PowerBook G4.
http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/bts/videoblog/
Reply
chus3r said 1:07PM on 1-17-2006
Getting rid of cable is an interesting idea. If you were to take a look at what you Tivo/watch every month and do the math would it add up?
I'm sure some of you would go this route just to do it but even on a subscription base model you lose in the end. How much of your network bandwidth would be used just for downloading video content? Where would you store it? How do you hear about new shows? What about news? Sports?
The on demand, media on your schedule is not without consequences. Consider the fallout of this model so many of you are quick to latch onto. Not so much for yourselves, but for other less tech saavy video consumers.
Reply