NBC isn't interested in the customer OR the market. They're interested in their bottom line. Sure, now the shows are free, because NBC is getting advertising dollars for the ads that play on-line in the middle of the shows.

Once Hulu is established, there will probably be 1 price for shows with ads & another for shows without ads - more ways to make money. NBC wouldn't be having ratings OR money problems if they would listen to their customers and put on some decent programming! Folks get tired of spinoffs & cheap reality shows.

It all boils down to which suit you believe more. Both are going to try and paint their company in the best light possible. Since this is the second or third story that we've heard out of the NBC camp I'm leaning towards jobs and co.

The only thing that really matters is that once again we're getting the short end of a corporate pissing contest. I still don't understand what NBC's cost was in the whole thing. They're the ones so worried about the market, they should of let the market decide. Keep their shows on iTunes and launch hulu.

So this is what I don't get--
NBC wanted to charge $2.99, Apple wanted to keep prices at the set $1.99 price. NBC didn't like that, so they then chose not to continue with Apple after their contract was up- Apple cut them loose early. Okay- then NBC put their shows for free on the NBC website and now with this Hulu. Plus they have Bionic Woman and Life on their sister channels (SciFi/USA). HMMM, why do you wanna charge more NBC, if you just give them away anyways. Doesn't make sense to me.

I think $2.99 is to expensive and wouldn't buy a 1/2 hour or hour show for that price. As it is, I'd only pay for a show at $1.99 every once in awhile. I've bought a few shows if I've missed it, or had DVR problems.
I don't have Apple TV so I'd still be watchin' it on my 17inch-- and I like my big TV so I only buy a show if I really really needed it. If Apple TV was cheaper maybe I'd buy that and then buy shows for $1.99 more often. But at this time I can find CBS shows ONdemand, Bionic Woman/Life on other channels, --and I have a DVR and two VCRs for those really busy nights. Plus cable shows re air all the time, so I wouldn't buy those shows. So sure it be great if the cost of a 1/2 hour was $.99 and hour $1.99-- but it's fair enough as it is -- but Zucker $2.99 is crazy

and Zucker-- I've never bought as much music until iTunes. I buy whole albums, and just by song. I still buy actual cd's if it's like Madonna or Justin Timberlake or someone I really want the packaging for. But he's crazy to think they destroyed the music world

It doesn't really matter what the price is on iTunes because I refuse to pay for a video file with DRM restrictions or for a video file that, in no way, subsidizes future DVD costs.

WHO STILL BUYS SHOWS OFF ITUNES? I don't even have a freakin TV anymore I just watch'em online. Sites like networkreplay.com and tv-links.com have 100s of shows listed I'm not paying apple 1.99 or even a wooden nickle for something I can get for free...lol. Smart move NBC!

Giving away one pilot episode isn't the same as allowing content providers or the market to decide pricing. It's giving away the razor to sell you the blades. It is promtion and it has nothing to do with my argument.

I would consider the anti NBC rants reasonable if it want made by Apple fanboys.

@royce — your argument's slightly flawed, iTunes actually gives away numerous episodes for free, the recent premier of Prison Break season 3 for instance.

The big media companies were/are very concerned that they've let a single store "control" their pricing. They've decided that they need to fracture the market again for both audio and video, hence the deals with amazon and others. On the audio side the consumer benefits because big media is temporarily willing to let go of DRM in order to get people purchasing from alternative stores. No such thing in video but you can stream for free.

Apple has their business model, big media has theirs. Only time will tell if big media can break Apple or if the power of the iPod and other apple produced hardware is enough to bring them back to iTunes, hat in hand, willing to agree to the single price model.

I often buy shows on itunes, it looks great on my ipod touch and it is a way of giving some money to the authors when they really need it like Jericho. Still it is true that 1.99$ is a bit expensive and I really don't understand how Apple choose their TV shows. There is all the famous FOX shows even Family guy since few weeks exept the one i wanted the most : The Simpsons. They are available on hulu and on fox website for Free so why not on itunes ? :(
About NBC that's really sad because i would have buy heroes season 2 ... i'll kept my money