PBS today announced the launch of PBS content on the iTunes Store, making it possible for users to now purchase and download documentary specials and episodes from popular PBS primetime and children’s programming. Episodes are priced from $1.99 each and immediately available for the following shows: Primetime Programming: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW; NOVA; NOW; and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS and PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! shows such as: ARTHUR; CYBERCHASE; and FETCH!.
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in the press release, “Working with our member stations and producers, PBS is excited to deliver a variety of PBS’ award-winning primetime and kids’ television programs through iTunes. The remarkable success of PBS podcasts on iTunes over the past year indicates that PBS members and viewers of all ages are enjoying the new, expanded access to the content they want, when and where they choose.”
“The success of TV on iTunes continues and we now offer over 220 hit TV shows from more than 40 networks,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes, in the press release. “We are thrilled to partner with PBS to bring such educational and entertaining programming to iTunes Store customers.”
Additional content attached to episodes will underscore the unique role consumers can play to ensure the continued creation and multi-platform delivery of PBS content by becoming a member of their local PBS station.
The iTunes Store has quickly become the world’s most popular video download store, selling over one million videos per week. The iTunes Store began selling TV shows with five shows from ABC/Disney less than a year ago, in October 2005, and rapidly expanded its library to over 220 television shows from over 40 networks today. The iTunes Store now features over 3.5 million songs, 65,000 podcasts, 20,000 audiobooks, over 5,000 music videos, more than 75 feature films and 220 television shows.
PBS is a media enterprise that serves 354 public noncommercial television stations and reaches almost 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS’ premier kids’ TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online, continue to be parents’ and teachers’ most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.
See PBS programs via Apple’s iTunes+iTunes Store here.
Substantive comeback, G. Work for PBS, do you?
!. McLaughlinGroup (“WRONG!. The answer is two and a half percent”).
2. Austin City Limits
Question…
We paid for the shows with our taxes and our donations…
Why do we have to pay for them to download them?
Also, why does it cost $7.99 rather than the $1.99 that other TV shows cost?
You pay for sponsorship of shows you don’t watch every time you buy a product. You may not give a sh*t about country music, but every time you buy the products that sponsor CMT you are paying for it. When you pay your Cable or Satellite bill, a cut from your bill goes to each channel carried, except those who have arranged a barter contract (Fox TV Network waives fees to get FX & Faux Newz Channel carried).
You pay for tons of crap you don’t watch. I couldn’t give a shit about MTV, MTV2 BET, CMT, VH1, VH1 Classic, Lifetime, LMT, USA, Spike, FX, E!, ESPN Classic, TMC, Animal Planet, ABC Family, Oh!, We, HGTV, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Golf Channel or any shopping channel. Every time I pay my cable bill each of these channels get a cut via a fee per subscriber. To get the few channels I want I have to pay for a shovel full of sh*t I don’t.
Most of these channels couldn’t make it in the market if they had to stand alone. A handful of big media companies systemically rip us off by bundling tons of sh*t with a handful of decent content. I’ll take the PBS/NPR/CPB model any day.
BTW- BAck when conservatives were as out of fashion as the Michael Jackson is today, PBS gave William F Buckley and others a fair access for over 20 years. That’s the difference between PBS and everybody else- they give the spectrum of voices- not just the dominant ones.
Firing Line influenced a generation of Conservative thought. Nobody else would air it, PBS gave it a voice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firing_Line
Re-Abominations is right.
Firing Line AND Frontline= rarities of REAL JOURNALISM.
Sorely lacking, today.
BTW, some of the problems is likened to (along with radio) mergers & acquisitions).
Just a few companies now funnell the output.
Remember FZ’s “I Am The Slime”? (’73).
A usual, Frank was prescient.
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+zappa/im+the+slime_20057165.html
Can I deduct these iTunes purchases as a donation to Public Television?
News vs. Newz.
Re-Abomination.
I agree.
And I do hope Frontline and the other great shows are also available.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Newshour (cheap/free) the day it’s broadcast, too.
I’m looking for one Nova show in particular on Global Dimming.
Unfortunately, it’s not there! Only FIVE Nova programs!
Pshaw.
You’re right, re-abom… When you VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE to pay for cable, you get what you pay for. You CHOOSE your plan and channels, then you pay each month for cable TV. I couldn’t give a sh*t about This Old House, Adventure Lodges, I Cringely, Masterpiece Theater, or Frontline, but I don’t get the choice to opt out of PBS. YOU don’t have to pay for MTV.
Why are people so afraid for CPB? Are the shows on PBS so weak that they couldn’t make it in the big, wide world? Or is it that some dipsh*t thinks he knows what’s good for everyone, and how to spend paychecks more wisely than those who went out and earned them?
Hubris. Arrogance. Presumption.
I’ll pay as long as Elmo keeps tickling me.
I’m really happy to see PBS shows now being made available at the iTunes Store. I love the program quality of PBS programming. They still have the regular broadcast and cable channels trying to meet their quality (with mixed results). I’m still waiting for many of the cable channels to develop HD programming. Oh well.