“CBS Corp., in what it calls a first for network television, is making its popular reality-television show ‘Survivor’ available for download on its Web site, CBS.com, for $1.99 an episode,” MarketWatch reports. “CBS is likely to make more of its content available, depending on the success of the ‘Survivor’ effort, Larry Kramer, president of CBS Digital Media, said in an interview. ‘If it does go well, you will definitely see more content going up on the site.’ …CBS said paid-for episodes of “Survivor” can be viewed anytime up to 24 hours from the time they are ordered. The episodes will be available through June 2006.”
“Kramer said CBS is in talks about other distribution deals with a wide range of parties, including Apple Computer Inc.,” MarketWatch reports.
Full article here.
Could the dinosaur be awakening?
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Keep talking, CBS. And when you’re though, get the content up on iTunes to join the new “ratings” game.
If they put the Amazing Race up, I will be buying every episode that I miss on TV, and probably of the some older ones, too.
I think the big one, money-wise will be soap operas. Soaps have a big and loyal following, produce 5 episodes 52 weeks a year and run for decades. CBS has the #1 daytime schedule and, unlike ABC which has SoapNet to redistribute on, could offer a weekly recap via iTMS for a tidy sum.
Video is something that a ‘subscription’ model might work for. Instead of buying your weekly episode of LOST for $1.99 imagine pre-paying a discounted price (say $34.99 like the 1st season package) and getting the new episodes as they are released on iTMS. Shows with a loyal following like CSI, LOST, Survivor, 24, etc could de very well with the subscription model.
I wonder if Apple & CBS can work out an ESPN/ABC BCS deal before March Madness begins. It would be nice.
I like to think of CBS in de same way I think of de last few bitches I dated: Cute But Stupid. Yeh-heh-hehesssss.
Imagine all the time CBS wasted and all the revenue lost while they were trying other crap outlets including their own…
Holy cow, soaps! You’re right! Should be a huge market there. I mean, hell, they have newspaper columns dedicated to updating the plot for folks who can’t watch every episode. An entire network, SOAPnet, is devoted to the stuff (and they have one show on iTunes already). Yeah, I’d expect some healthy business there.
I for one would like classic football games or just all the games of any sport in general on itunes. Make a edit team to edit them, Cut out everything in between and just show a compressed edition of every single play. Imagine being able to dl every single barry sanders game. I miss those days when he had monster games. There will never be a player like him again. I know for sure people would want to see things like that. I would want to see the game of Barry vs Emmitt Smith on thanksgiving day where I believe emmitt had 150 plus yeards, but barry had 170 plus yards and his team won the game. Or his 212 yard tampa bay game, where he ran 80 yards , lost his shoe and got tackle at the 5 yard line. I wouldn’t mind seeing what sporting events people download to see what was their favorite game or event , etc. I think this would be huge. NFL would make a lot of money as well. All those losing teams like detriot downloading all 77 -78 barry sander games where he had over 100 yards, times the 75K hardcore fans in detriot. Money in the bank for NFL, itunes, and 10cents into the NFL old players retirement fund or United Way charity fund.
^ You’re right. For instance, I have no idea why the NFL doesn’t offer every Super Bowl, in its entirety, for purchase. Even leave the original commercials in there for historical context. I’m sick and tired of NFL Films productions, with their grandiose music and unusual camera angles. Give me the ability to purchase pristine copies of actual, complete NFL games.
Customers will be able to watch the episode for a 24-hour period after paying. Uhm, no thank you. 1.99 for 24 hours or not letting CBS’ experiment succeed and having them get with the program and have it on iTunes and we get the content on our computer and/or iPod and watch it for as many hours,days,months you’d like?
The CBS downloads only work with Windows …. and can only be viewed for a 24 hour period after downloading. They refer to the downloads as rentals.
Do I care? Does it matter? Probably not.
The thing that excited me a few weeks back when the ESPN deal was announced was the probability to get (European) Champions League games from iTunes. ESPN carries only “marquee” games with Real Madrid or Manchester Utd. irrespective of their form, or worse, Italian teams whose games invariably end up 0-0. If I could have highlights of Arsenal matches, it would be amazing.
There is also something called the World Baseball Classic, which is being carried by the ESPN networks next month. It’s the closest analog to a FIFA World Cup in baseball. It’s be great to have compressed versions of those games.
COLD CASE!
…CBS said paid-for episodes of “Survivor” can be viewed anytime up to 24 hours from the time they are ordered.
VS.
What, unpaid-for content recorded on a VCR or DVR or other such legal recording device that allows you to view the content 24/7/365 ad-infinium.
Two dollar-low quality rentals…CBS you can go STR0KE yourself.
I hope CBS doesn’t base their decision to go to iTunes on the success of their feeble effort of selling content on their own site. I mean, the comparison between the two options isn’t even the same. iTunes allows unlimited viewing, Mac access, the ability to download to your iPod, all from the #1 place to buy such content.
CBS’ version offers much less as outlined in previous posts. Plus, it’s on their site. While I’m sure they have a pretty good share of site visitors, I can’t believe it’s anywhere near what iTunes has.
Are all these networks stupid? Why the need to go through iTunes? Get over your love for DRM. Make your show available for download via your own website. Its a new source of ad revenue. Put some ads in it. Give it away free. Its already on the internet. No point in worrying about DRM.
DRM is killing everything.
SOAPS skip the “Family Edition” of The Amazing Race. That was an unwatchable clusterf–k ruination of a once great franchise.
And apparently the starting point for this season was the Red Rocks amphitheater outside of Denver. I guess the first challenge was simply making it to Peña Airport safely.
I skipped the UnAmazing Walk-Fatboy Edition, because it was the exact opposite of what the franchise started out as. I left the show behind when they started their ‘stunt’ casting from Survivor. Both have the fingerprints of Les Moonves all over them.
Is it me or does that deal suck.
Am I reading it right you PAY for it but can only view it within the 24hrs after paying for it?
Then it goes away? That really stinks….
I think this will go very well. $2 for a show that you can watch once, and it’s “Survivor”!? Way to “test the new model”. Why don’t you just take a crap in a bag to see if anyone would buy that. Doesn’t matter to me anyway, I don’t watch anything on CBS…their entire line up sucks ass.
Pippin,
Thanks for your opinion, but name a bigger network in television right now. Last I heard, CBS was dominating the ratings.
But seriously folks, do you really want everything going through iTunes? I love Apple, but I love competition better. And I’m afraid Apple has fallen in love with DRM. Sure, the record labels wanted it and maybe Steve Jobs wasn’t a fan of it then. But I guarantee you that he’s all for it now. Why? Because DRM isn’t about security, its about lock-in. And now that Apple has you using their DRM, you are locked in.
Let CBS know what you think of their CBS OnDemand Windows only crap:
http://www.cbs.com/ondemand/contactus.php
Is it correct to assume that because CBS is owned by Viacom, and Viacom owns MTV, and MTV has a deal with M$…
OH I SEE why they’re so slow…
wussies!
Steve should freeze out CBS, cause they’re sods.