Say bye bye to Heroes: NBC to end iTunes show sales

4.99 per episode????? Excuse me but that number slipped by, I thought NBC simply asked for more but I hadn't read how much more. Asking a few pennies more would be ok, but 4.99 per episode while there's torrents for free next door, that's a) greed and b) stupid.

Aw =(
Okay, let's boycott =P (What I said about universal).
Torrent ;)

basscadet, the cost per episode of a TV show in a DVD set is lower, requires manufacturing DVDs & packaging, distribution & printing to produce, making the iTunes product a higher margin AND a higher profit product. How is this bad? The studios probably make a lot more with a sale through Apple's service than it would with a person watching it on TV.

There's no DRM on over the air transmissions and the DRM on DVDs is completely ineffective, so as far as I'm concerned, the DRM complaint is just hot air.

@ Quix:

Great minds think alike:
http://www.creativefriday.com/editorial/universal-hates-you/

I'm not a big TV watcher and I don't download much from iTunes but I did enjoy The Office and have bought all 3 seasons from iTunes. The Season Pass was the way to go. I was actually looking forward to Season 4 on iTunes.

Now it's gone and there's no f***ing way I'm watching it on TV with the commercials. Guess I don't watch The Office anymore.

Thanks NBC and Apple for being squabbling babies. I put more blame on NBC but Apple could have tried to bend. But we all know Stevie J here and we know he doesn't bend.

basscadet, if you feel $4.99 is a reasonable price for an episode of 30 Rock, by all means, pay for it. But think the general consensus here is that NBC wanted to price-gouge its customers and Apple said no.

This is so funny. Apple is pushing OTHER companies' profits down so Apple can have the most and cheapest content on their platform (iTunes), thus making it popular and seamlessly integrated on their hardware. Somehow, this Microsoftian marketing strategy is regarded as Robin Hood of media keeping the greedy companies at check and distributing THEIR content at lower prices. Then, you have Apple charging their products a lot more over production cost and suddently they're not greedy themselves, just "innovative, exclusive, high quality" etc. etc.

wow NBC! Way to drive away all your customers and income!

The ironic thing is, NBC is leaving iTunes because Apple couldn't give them better DRM. But, they're actually going to get MORE people to pirate their content by leaving, because now a lot of people are going to torrent it instead!

Christ is there a brain among the talking heads at NBC HQ? Especially cause driving the price to FIVE FRICKING BUCKS AN EPISODE would've done the same thing!!!!

Keep in mind, this includes Sci-Fi, Bravo, etc. not just the NBC network line up. If this bothers you (like it does me) then WRITE NBC and tell them.

This sucks on a convenience level, especially The Office and BSG. Still, Apple has already struck back and said they won't carry any new NBC shows from now until the contract runs out, can't wait to see the NBC execs scrambling around next year like headless chickens trying to figure out why they aren't making as much money as before.

I won't boycott all Universal products though, they're still gonna stick me for that $100+tax in december when BSG comes to HD-DVD, and sadly I'll pay with no hesitation.