I scream, you scream, we all scream for video stream
Two weeks ago, I did something I knew I would do, but for a different reason than I originally thought; I used iTunes to download the 1st episode of the second season of ABC's hit series LOST.
When Apple announced in October their deal with Disney, who owns ABC, to begin offering their successful series Desperate Housewives and LOST the day after the original episode airs, for $1.99, I thought to my self no, no nooo...it's to early for this. Where is the market? High speed internet can't already have the market penetration, and the video is going to be too small to really enjoy. And I can't burn it to DVD? Huh?
But there I was, after dark, the kids in bed, basking in the glow of an iTunes download progress bar. Just a short week prior I had finished all 24 episodes of the first season of my new favorite guilty pleasure, all on DVD. All of the sudden it was 4 episodes in to the new season, and here I was with little hope of catching the airings on Wednesday nights since I have the kids while my wife is teaching nights. With the kids down, I sat there jonesing for a LOST fix. So I one-clicked the first episode and 20 minutes later I was frozen in my chair, headphones on, transported to that wacky island exploring the newly blown open hatch populated by a equally wacky long haired-world-traveling-racer-guy with a rifle.
I didn't download the video to 'try it out' as I assumed I would when the service was announced. No, I did the deed because I wanted to see the dang TV show. And the next one and the one after that. From Oct 12 to Oct 31, Apple sold 1 million video downloads. Apple hit the nail on the head; turns out I AM the demographic they are marketing to. They got me and my $5.97 last month. And I love it.
Now if Sawyer would just die already...
Others are following suit:
CBS announces 99 cents deal with Comcast
NBC announces 99 cents deal with DirectTv
AOL brings treasure trove of vintage shows to web, for free
(can you say Welcome Back Kotter, Spenser: for Hire?)
When Apple announced in October their deal with Disney, who owns ABC, to begin offering their successful series Desperate Housewives and LOST the day after the original episode airs, for $1.99, I thought to my self no, no nooo...it's to early for this. Where is the market? High speed internet can't already have the market penetration, and the video is going to be too small to really enjoy. And I can't burn it to DVD? Huh?
But there I was, after dark, the kids in bed, basking in the glow of an iTunes download progress bar. Just a short week prior I had finished all 24 episodes of the first season of my new favorite guilty pleasure, all on DVD. All of the sudden it was 4 episodes in to the new season, and here I was with little hope of catching the airings on Wednesday nights since I have the kids while my wife is teaching nights. With the kids down, I sat there jonesing for a LOST fix. So I one-clicked the first episode and 20 minutes later I was frozen in my chair, headphones on, transported to that wacky island exploring the newly blown open hatch populated by a equally wacky long haired-world-traveling-racer-guy with a rifle.
I didn't download the video to 'try it out' as I assumed I would when the service was announced. No, I did the deed because I wanted to see the dang TV show. And the next one and the one after that. From Oct 12 to Oct 31, Apple sold 1 million video downloads. Apple hit the nail on the head; turns out I AM the demographic they are marketing to. They got me and my $5.97 last month. And I love it.
Now if Sawyer would just die already...
Others are following suit:
CBS announces 99 cents deal with Comcast
NBC announces 99 cents deal with DirectTv
AOL brings treasure trove of vintage shows to web, for free
(can you say Welcome Back Kotter, Spenser: for Hire?)
posted by d20 at 2:02 PM
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