“Apple Inc. appears to have finally figured out how to become an entertainment programming company — and it didn’t have to buy Netflix or Time Warner to do it,” Shira Ovide writes for Bloomberg Gadfly. “Apple is making the rounds in Hollywood, seeking to buy high-quality original TV series and perhaps movies. The idea is to supplement the Apple Music streaming song service with more digital video, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Think of Apple creating shows with similar quality and buzz to Netflix’s series Stranger Things but available only to subscribers who pay $10 a month for Apple Music.”
“For people who haven’t been following the company closely, this is approximately the 400th attempt by Apple to become a significant entertainment company,” Ovide writes. “It tried for years to negotiate deals with big media companies or cable TV providers to create its own cable television-like service with a lineup of live TV channels. It has never worked because big media companies were slow to shift away from traditional TV business models and because Apple was an arrogant jerk of a business partner. Apple also considered making its own television sets and made some early overtures to acquire its way into the media and entertainment business.”
“But Apple has finally landed on an ideal strategy to go big in Hollywood,” Ovide writes. “This time, Apple is trying to become HBO, not Netflix and not a cable company.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Producing must-see TV infinitely easier said than done. Good luck, Apple!
SEE ALSO:
Apple plans significant new business in producing original television shows and movies – January 12, 2017
Apple buys James Corden’s ‘Carpool Karaoke’ TV series for Apple Music exclusive – July 26, 2016
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Apple looking to develop original TV series as part of new video strategy, sources say – January 29, 2016
Why Apple might feel compelled to get into original content – September 2, 2015
Just because Apple may be getting into original content doesn’t mean it can produce good shows – September 1, 2015
Apple made ‘audacious bid’ for Top Gear trio of Clarkson, Hammond and May, but lost out to Bezos’ Amazon – September 1, 2015
Why would Apple want to make their own movies and TV shows? – September 1, 2015
Apple exploring entry into original entertainment production – August 31, 2015