Tuesday, February 7, 2006
CBS to Sell Downloadable TV Episodes on CBS.com
Posted by Suhit Gupta in "NEWS" @ 08:00 AM
"New episodes of the popular “Survivor” reality television series will be made available for download directly from CBS’s Web site for $1.99 per episode, a first in network TV, the company said Wednesday. CBS is not likely to stop there either. Its latest plans gives the television network an option to use its own online properties to distribute shows rather than relying on other companies such as Internet company Google or Apple Computer Inc.’s popular iTunes service. To be sure CBS already sells its top rated shows including “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” on Google Inc. video service for $1.99 and on Comcast Corp.’s on-demand system for 99 cents. It plans to pursue even more deals, executives have said."
I guess this news simply makes me appreciate DVRs all the more. I mean c'mon, big networks are finding every single way to monetize their shows. I can understand buying DVD collections of an entire season because that way you have a full collection and it is a nice hard copy that enthusiasts can even display. But buying episodes? I am currently paying about $10 per month for my DVR so I feel that people who intend to buy about 5 episodes of any of their shows in any given month might as well buy a DVR (or build an MCE, obviously for a much higher price).
I guess this news simply makes me appreciate DVRs all the more. I mean c'mon, big networks are finding every single way to monetize their shows. I can understand buying DVD collections of an entire season because that way you have a full collection and it is a nice hard copy that enthusiasts can even display. But buying episodes? I am currently paying about $10 per month for my DVR so I feel that people who intend to buy about 5 episodes of any of their shows in any given month might as well buy a DVR (or build an MCE, obviously for a much higher price).
