Apple, itunes, jeff zucker, microsoft, nbc, online video, xbox, zune

Jeff Zucker's Zune revenge

Having dropped Apple's iTunes store in a dispute over pricing, NBC Universal will soon start selling downloads of TV shows like The Office and 30 Rock for its Zune media player. If NBC chief Jeff Zucker manages to scrape some sales out of Microsoft's handheld also-ran, it will be a miracle — and the surest proof yet that content, not hardware, is king. Don't hold your breath. Microsoft's Zune has always seemed like a parody of Apple's iPod. Want to buy songs? Well, first you buy "points" from Microsoft, which you can then exchange for music at some bizarre exchange rate. Nothing about its user interface seems quite right compared to Apple's polish. The system for TV shows is no better. Though Microsoft also makes the Xbox, shows downloaded to a Zune won't play on the videogame console unless you're adept at fiddling with cables. By going with Microsoft, Zucker is betting that technology doesn't matter, design doesn't matter, and market share doesn't matter. He must really believe in his prime-time lineup. (Photo via Fake Steve Ballmer)

9:00 AM on Tue May 6 2008
By Owen Thomas
1,163 views
7 comments

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macbeach at 09:39 AM on 05/06/08
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NBC doesn't matter.
WagCurious at 09:47 AM on 05/06/08
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I don't think anyone expects to play a 320x240 Zune download on a HD TV. That's not one of the problems with that product.
Charity Froggenhall at 10:55 AM on 05/06/08
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NBC does indeed have a great lineup. That's why we either record it with our eyeTV (which we can then use to edit out commercials and export as a file to any computer or iPod in the house), or t0rrent everything (see above).
matto at 11:02 AM on 05/06/08
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what sort of bald shithead thinks there is a raging market for programming that is free-to-air in HD already
jbelkin at 11:39 AM on 05/06/08
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yea, there's a shocker - the guy 9 months proclaimed that itunes was selling their shows too cheaply at $1.99 so after spending $100 million to build Hulu, NBC shows are back at $1.99 (after the idiotic points thing - maybe that's how MS fooled the easily fooled Zucker, it's 1,600 points per show! THink of the MS points NBC will accrue, 2 million points and we'll launch another news network with you!) ... here's Zucker's math: iTunes's 90% market shares are not good enough - we'll zero out that revenue, spend $100 million to launch hulu and then switch to Zune with 4% market share ... humm, why is NBC a solid last in ratings?

(oh yea, and good move calling S. Jobs an idiot ... maybe you can host a show with Mike Eisner in 6 months? Or Ballmer but there might be too much glare in that studio ...).
matto at 11:55 AM on 05/06/08
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@jbelkin: If only Terry Semel would go bald, the three of them could host one heck of a variety show!
audiophil at 05:10 PM on 05/06/08
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@jbelkin: great idea! I'd call the show 'Welcome to the social'