“Apple has taken issue with NBC’s claims that the media conglomerate was able to change pricing policy at Apple,” Greg Sandoval reports for CNET.
“NBC Universal executives have suggested that they agreed to start selling downloads of TV shows on iTunes only after being allowed more flexibility to set prices for its wares on iTunes. That’s just not correct, Eddy Cue, the vice president in charge of Apple’s iTunes Store, told CNET News on Wednesday evening,” Sandoval reports.
“Cue pointed out that while most TV shows sell for $1.99 on iTunes, retailers have always been allowed to sell videos for less. He said Viacom has offered many of its shows for 99 cents, including episodes of South Park and MTV’s The Hills. The History Channel has offered shows such as Ice Road Truckers and Ax Men,” Sandoval reports. “‘We’ve never told anyone they can’t lower prices,’ Cue said.”
“Cue said that the $2.99 price NBC is selling its HD content for is the same price for all HD content. ‘People can see (Showtime’s) Californication in HD live right now on the site,’ Cue said. And when it comes to packages, Cue said there have been packages on iTunes before,” Sandoval reports.
Cue told CNET, “‘We’re glad to have NBC back and they are participating under the same terms with all of the other content providers,'” Sandoval reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “MacVicta” for the heads up.]
And the reason Cue called Sandoval was because of Sandoval’s September 9th reprinting of NBC PR’s talking points — so obvious and stupid that we just ignored it at the time — “Apple yields to NBC Universal on price, packaging.” You left that part out, Greg.
As we said the minute that NBC’s return to iTunes Store was announced: “Jobs won as usual.”
