The AP reports Warner Bros. Chief Executive Barry Meyer said Warner Bros. did not participate in Apple's plan to offer 99 cent TV show rentals because the price was too low and it would of hurt sales of full seasons. Apparently, these comments are based on the $2.99 price per episode the studio currently receives for DRM'ed purchases.
Now I try to leave editorials off the news page and save them for the editorial section and The DCR Report podcast, but this is another example of greedy content holders that have no clue how to adapt to the market. I think 99 cents is too much to pay to rent a show that is broadcasted over the air for free. It might be a good deal for shows like HBO's True Blood, so fans do not need to subscribe to both a TV service provider and HBO. Additionally, $2.99 to buy heavily DRM'ed episodes that is tied to a handful of devices is robbery.
What is the alternative to these overpriced or non existed rentals? Some people may say bittorrent. Others believe viewers will find alternative forms of entertainment. Video games and original web content have been eroding legacy television viewers for at least the last decade.
The game is content providers to lose. Will they let other networks take their viewers or will viewers migrate to different forms of entertainment. Only time will tell, but if history is any indication the networks need to adapt or die.
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