NBC to offer free downloads of popular TV shows

The recent discord between NBC and Apple iTunes over price has resulted to NBC Direct, a new service which will allow users to download and view NBC’s popular primetime and late-night entertainment programming on their desktops for up to one week after broadcast. Beta testing to start this coming October.

The list of programs available at launch will include “Heroes,” “The Office,” “Life,” “Bionic Woman,” “30 Rock,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

“With the creation of this new service, we are acknowledging that now, more than ever, viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they consumer their favorite entertainment. Not only does this feature give them more control, but it also gives them a higher quality video experience,” said NBC Digital Entertainment Executive Vice President Vivi Zigler.

Although other TV networks have maintained their partnership with iTunes, they are also cooking up initiatives similar with NBC’s. For instance, Fox Broadcasting is now offering free season premiere episodes via iTunes of its 7 popular TV shows including “Prison Break” and “Bones”.

Originally posted on September 23, 2007 @ 11:39 pm