Macworld: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree ...

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19 Replies Last post: May 7, 2008 10:42 AM by Agnitio 1 2 Previous Next

Macworld

4,363 posts since
Nov 30, 2007

May 6, 2008 10:36 AM

Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Post your comments for Zune and NBC sitting in a tree here

macFanDave

509 posts since
Mar 4, 2004

1. May 6, 2008 10:49 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

This seems illegal to me. They are going to sell episodes on Zune for $1.99, but they left Apple because iTunes sold the episodes at the exact same price and wouldn't increase the prices? WTF? I know that vendors reserve the right to sell or not to whomever they want, but that right is not absolute. If I were to sell widgets to white people, but not to black people, I'm sure I'd have trouble. Unless there are some other terms in the deal that is substantially different from what the iTunes agreement was, Apple Legal ought to haul NBC to court and the FCC and FTC.

zensunni

184 posts since
Sep 11, 2004

2. May 6, 2008 11:01 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Illegal? I doubt it. They can easily argue (perhaps even honestly) that it's not the $1.99 price that forced them to leave, but the fact that Apple dictates the price to them with no room for change. Also, it could just as likely be that the distribution fee MS collects is less than Apple's. Who knows. But there's nothing illegal about choosing to go with a different distributor. In any event, this 'article' read more than a blog or editorial. It certainly wasn't objective, more like a Macolyte rant, so I rate it a thumbs down.

Chris Breen

2,564 posts since
Dec 11, 2000

3. May 6, 2008 11:07 AM

in response to: zensunni

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

zensunni wrote: In any event, this 'article' read more than a blog or editorial. It certainly wasn't objective, more like a Macolyte rant, so I rate it a thumbs down.

It likely reads that way because it IS a blog. Now where's that thumbs down button for your comment...

Lisamacnewton

46 posts since
Nov 27, 2006

4. May 6, 2008 11:16 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Reindorp/Ballmer are both suits. They are basically trying to sell refrigerators to cannibals. When the numbers come in from this latest "gaffe" there will always be another "oh look at this" from them that makes people who actually *follow* these kinds of "trends" re-roll their eyes. NBC is in fairly dire straits these days (monetarily and ratings-wise, i.e letting go of over 1/2 of their news reporters, slashing budgets in news and entertainment divisions), so ANY press whether negative or not is GOOD press. It'd just be nice to hear something that actually makes sense, for once...

LisaMacNewton

alansky

273 posts since
Jul 14, 2004

5. May 6, 2008 11:49 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

"Parity with Apple?" That's rich! Microsoft's spin doctors obviously believe their customers are stupid enough to swallow such rubbish... and maybe they're right!

ronincali3002

133 posts since
Sep 30, 2004

6. May 6, 2008 12:23 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

NBC? They're still around? Incredible! What shows are even available on that channel? Bionic Woman. CANCELLED. Knight Rider? Rider? Rider? Seriously. I'm not even kidding about not knowing what prime time shows air on NBC. What else? I haven't flipped my DVR to NBC in, oh, months, since I got hooked on Lost. NBC = NoBody Cares.

Chris Breen

2,564 posts since
Dec 11, 2000

7. May 6, 2008 12:31 PM

in response to: ronincali3002

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

There's Heroes, the first season of which I'm still catching up on (and I purchased from iTunes while I could so I've done my part to line NBC's pockets). I was hoping to also purchase the second season but it's not available in a form I want and, besides, I hear Season 2 has been a letdown.

warlock7

657 posts since
Aug 29, 2004

8. May 6, 2008 12:50 PM

in response to: Chris Breen

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Heroes season two wasn't a let-down, IMHO. However, I am waiting for them to be released on Blu-ray, I won't buy them trhough a download.

ibeetle

353 posts since
Apr 29, 2004

9. May 6, 2008 12:54 PM

in response to: Chris Breen

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

I wish I could watch Heroes. Who knew a 3 year old could play Mario Kart for two straight hours and then want to watch Gerald McBoing Boing three times in a row.

doglesby

314 posts since
Aug 31, 2004

10. May 6, 2008 1:26 PM

in response to: ronincali3002

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

+Heroes+, +The Office+, +30 Rock+, +Battlestar Galactica+, +Monk+, +House+. Have you heard of them? Everyone thinks these stories are a chance to play television critic.

doglesby

314 posts since
Aug 31, 2004

11. May 6, 2008 1:30 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Don't forget the piracy concession. Sounds like Microsoft has agreed to be the [gatekeeper|http://www.macuser.com/itunes-store/peacockathon_nbc_wants_to_be_o.php] for Zunes. Poison pill if you ask me.

AmyO

7 posts since
Jun 26, 2001

12. May 6, 2008 1:34 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Wow. This is all very high school to me. NBC is mad at Apple for not putting out more, so they run off in a huff, letting the whole school know why. Then, to make Apple jealous and show them just what they are missing, NBC goes to bed with the big bad Microsoft rival and goes out with anyone who'll give them ad dollars for streaming their content ('cause, really, they aren't "giving away" their shows on NBC.com and Hulu - they've got ads all through the shows). It's this kind of crazy decentralization of content online that keeps the BitTorrent networks hoppin'.

ronincali3002

133 posts since
Sep 30, 2004

13. May 6, 2008 1:44 PM

in response to: doglesby

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Oh. Now that you mention them, yeah, I've heard of them all actually. I'd watch Monk and The Office, if I were inclined to spend many hours in front of the box, but I've NOT found being a couch fixture in front of the TV to be the most stimulating activity after a long day of work. That said, I guess the NBC marketing machine doesn't work very well on me. My ultimate point here is that iTunes is a good source for me to find out about all these shows, and to download an episode if it were of genuine interest to me. And yeah, I look forward to the opportunity to be a television critic; my enthusiasm for which is apparently equaled by yours for taking advantage of an opportunity to criticize the critics.

Message was edited by: ronincali3002

Pinova

7 posts since
Mar 17, 2008

14. May 6, 2008 5:46 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

Somebody at NBC needs to do a little cost-accounting. Whoever it was at NBC that got all bent out of shape with iTunes has probably cost the company the lifetime salaries of a high-rise full of executives with that one move. Now their remedy is to capitulate to the logic they so stridently denied last year, all while making a deal with the —not the devil, but the spirit of irrelevancy. Whew. No wonder NBC is number one. Not.

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May 6, 2008 10:36 AM

Zune and NBC sitting in a tree

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