CBS skips iTunes, tries bizarre PPV rental route with Survivor downloads |
Loading ...When I saw this morning that CBS was skipping iTunes, which already is an awkward name for selling videos, for peddling its Survivor episodes via $1.99 download, that seemed like a good idea experimenting with selling direct and skipping the middlemen.
But then I saw it was one of those time bomb downloads, like Pay Per View (PPV) movies:
In launching the “Survivor” downloads, CBS is endorsing a different purchasing model from the one used by iTunes. On CBS.com, buying an episode would be more like a video rental, because buyers have a temporary window in which to view a show. A buyer of an iTunes download, by contrast, can replay it endlessly. CBS is hoping that its system may better safeguard future DVD sales of its shows.
Stupid.
CBS better keep hoping. I can see a PPV movie maybe, but even those are badly outdated by DVDs these days, but a PPV television show? Why would anybody pay for this type of download? Using TiVo/PVR is going to be a much more logical and affordable option.
I don’t know the exact numbers but let’s say there are 24 episodes of Survivor and Joe Viewer buys, er rents, them all at $1.99:
24 x $1.99 = $47.76.
Now Joe Viewer is a dedicated Survivor fan, he must buy the DVD too and that sells for let’s say $40.00 USD.
47.76 + 40.00 = $87.76USD or $7.31/month. For a couple more bucks a month Joe Viewer could have snagged a TiVo subscription and had it for free … or better yet bought a Media Center PC or perhaps better yet used an old computer as a MythTV box.
CBS might be worried that going the straight digital download route will hurt their DVD sales but this plan makes zero sense to anybody but CBS. Put me in the minority that has never watched Survivor and I’m infinitely less interested in watching this way. On this one at least, CBS has two letters of their name right.
Am I missing something here?
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BS is right! When I saw this article, I thought… gee I wonder which format they’ll offer if it’s not iTunes-protected? I’d like to say I was surprised to see they are using this retarded “Divx 2″ style expiring downloads, but it is a Television network we’re talking about here. I don’t know whether to applaud CBS’ effort or laugh at their execution. Does anyone know yet if the video will play on portable players? Tell me somebody thought it through at least enough to make sure people will be able to play it on something other than a PC monitor.
Comment by Steve K — February 3, 2006 @ 10:20 am PST
I don’t think it’s that absurd. It’s their move, and if the consumer doesn’t like it - well, watch it when it is on, or tape it.
I just want Netflix and others to get their ass in gear on movie downloads. As a Netflix subscriber, I would love to take advantage of that…….and on that note, let’s get current movie downloads rockin too….while they are still in the theater and beyond…
Comment by Matt Wardlaw — February 3, 2006 @ 11:34 am PST
Matt - I’d like to see that too, but services like Vongo are a start.
Comment by TDavid — February 3, 2006 @ 11:46 am PST
I haven’t jumped on Vongo, but was interested from the stuff you have written on it here…
as far as theatrical stuff - good example - The Ice Harvest with Billy Bob and John Cusack…missed it by a minute in the theaters…would have downloaded it, because I really wanted to see it.
Couldn’t download it.
That’s all I want - give me something cool in the window between theater and home video release.
Comment by Matt Wardlaw — February 3, 2006 @ 12:03 pm PST