As expected, Apple on Wednesday announced that hit television programming from Canadaâs top networks, US broadcasters and the National Hockey League (NHL) is now available for CAN$1.99 per episode from the iTunes Store in Canada.
âWeâre thrilled to bring television programming to the iTunes Store in Canada in time for the holiday season,â said Eddy Cue, Appleâs vice president of iTunes. âWeâre off to a great start with hit shows from CBC, CTV, Comedy Central and MTV Networks, along with the best of classic and current NHL action.â
Television shows purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store Canada can be viewed on a PC or Mac, iPod nano with video, fifth generation iPod, iPod classic or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV. Television programming on the iTunes Store in Canada includes:
- CBCâs comedy programs âLittle Mosque on the Prairieâ and âThe Rick Mercer Report,â reality programming âNo Opportunity Wastedâ and âDragonâs Den;â
- CTVâs smash hit comedy âCorner Gas,â dramas âInstant Star,â âDegrassi: The Next Generationâ and âRobson Arms;â
- Comedy Centralâs âDrawn Together,â âThe Sarah Silverman Programâ and Emmy and Peabody Award-winning âSouth Park;â
- MTV Networks programs âAvatar: The Last Airbenderâ and âThe Hills;â and
- NHL Games of the Year, including top NHL games in their entirety for the 2007-2008 season, as well as Stanley Cup Classics, a five-game bundle of great Stanley Cup Final games.
Reports that Apple was ready to launch TV programming on the iTunes Store Canada were first reported late Monday by ArsTechnica.
22 Comments
Seems the right kind of deal for Apple... Go alternative. Leave the big players and make small deals with big country wide operators in other countries. That will stengthen iTunes video enough to make NBC and the others think about coming back to the table.I have the impression that, so far, we heard a lot of what NBC is doing after the stop of negotiations. Finally we start to see that Apple isn't sleeping either. They go to Canada, grab good contracts for interesting shows and there you have it.
Interesting strategy and intersting turn of events. I hope the companies will sit down together in the future and work out a deal so that the sales of video on iTunes can increase like they should.
Of course having HD programming and selling it in some other countries (Switzerland, where we make the "one hundred dollar bill iPod Touch stands" cough cough) would be BETTER, at least from my perspective.
FUUUUUUUU---inaly....
Edit: 1.99 for a classic 2 hours of NHL. Great deal. Go! Oilers! Go! Edit Edit: They have the Philly 57 feed rather than CBC? hmm....
A nice little selection to start with. I expect there is plenty more to come. Will be interesting to see in CTV adds shows they license from US Networks down the road and if Global joins up and offers same. I would hope to see more NHL classics eventually as well. Nice start and a welcome step for us up here. Movies will hopefully follow soon and one can see the little pieces being put in place ahead of the iPhone's imminent announcement.
Stu
Wow, three posts in and no complaint about the missing Canadian iPhone...a new world record!
Wow, three posts in and no complaint about the missing Canadian iPhone...a new world record!
I let my tag do the complaining...
Can anyone in the US confirm if the Canadian shows (e.g. Corner Gas) are available to US iTunes customers? I still think this is a way for iTunes to get new content in the US during a writers strike.