TV executives seem to be ready to support Apple’s intention to sell TV shows, but if there’s a sticking point, it’s the price.
Two of the four major broadcast networks — ABC (Disney) and Fox (News Corp.) — are ready to at least test the market at 99 cents per episode, but the other two — NBC and CBS — aren’t ready to participate yet.
Jeff Zucker, CEO of NBC Universal, was quoted by several news outlets that the proposed 99-cent price, the same price at which Apple sells most songs through its iTunes service, “devalues” content.
The Wall Street Journal quoted Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman saying flatly that the price “doesn’t work for us.”
While in the long term the argument is about pricing, in the short term the lack of participation of NBC and CBS may put a crimp in the short-term sales of Apple’s revamped Apple TV over-the-top box.