dashPunk

I am torn about the idea of an iTunes Subscription service.  Rumors are swirling again that it might me on the way.

A subscription service from Apple consisting of a $35 or so monthly fee for access to a large and complete library of current-season television episodes via iTunes would fit well into the TV networks’ overall content strategy — Hulu has proven there is a demand for streaming full episodes, and the cable companies have long shown that consumers are willing to pay for access(NewTeeVee).

When I wrote my Would you pay for a Boxee app? I laid down some ground rules:

Rules for Paid Apps

1. Paid App channels would have to be commercial free.
2. Paid App channels must have a free version to test the content.
3. Apps must be cheap!  The more they cost, the fewer people will pay.
4. Apps should be available for networks and individual shows.

Reasons I would pay for an app

• Premium Channels: HBO and Showtime are top of my list.
• Foreign Content: BBC iPlayer is top on my list, but I have a soft spot for Chinese and Indian TV.
• Supporting Indie Media:  I would pay to support the Guild, Legend of Neil and other shows, but I would expect extras.

Would I pay for an iTunes Subscription Service?

In an era before Hulu, I would definitely would have paid for this, but I am not sure I would now.

If the Price is $35 a month it would have to:

• include many channels that I cannot stream online already
• be commercial free
• allow me to watch the show when it is airing on Cable.
• allow on demand streaming the day the show aired not 24 hours later
• allow all episodes of a season to be on watched at anytime as often as I want
• work on my Mac, PC, AppleTV, and iPod Touch for one fee

I need a lot more details before I know whether I know if I want to pay for this.

What would it take?

What would it take for you to pay for an Apple streaming TV service?

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[Avner] Ronen says that the company still has yet to collect any revenue for use of its media center software, but that it’s working on a way to allow content owners to charge for the Boxee Apps that they create (Contentinople).

This begs the question:  Would you pay for a Boxee App?  I might but there are a few ground rules that would have to be established:

Rules for Paid Apps

1. Paid App channels would have to be commercial free.
2. Paid App channels must have a free version to test the content.
3. Apps must be cheap!  The more they cost, the fewer people will pay.
4. Apps should be available for networks and individual shows.

Reasons I would pay for an app

• Premium Channels: HBO and Showtime are top of my list.
• Foreign Content: BBC iPlayer is top on my list, but I have a soft spot for Chinese and Indian TV.
• Supporting Indie Media:  I would pay to support the Guild, Legend of Neil and other shows, but I would expect extras.

How I hope this works

I have hoped for a long time that Apple would open its platform to allow more options.  So far they haven’t.  I think Media should have a tiered support system:

1. Free: Ad supported, let me check it out
2. Tiny Fee: Watch commercial Free
3. Small Fee:  Own outright (The content is downloaded to my device)
4. Modest Fee: Own outright with special features

I want to be able to watch any show and upgrade my content as I see fit.

Did I miss anything?

What would make you want to pay for a Boxee App?  What rules do you have?  What model would you like to see?

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Doctor Who and Torchwood dominate the top 10 watched or downloaded shows on the new BBC iPlayer. I hope this means that with it’s success of more than 11 million streamed or downloaded shows that they continue to branch out offering content in America. I’m being selfish of course but I would love to be able to get current Doctor Who, Torchwood and other BBC favorites on my AppleTV.

The iPlayer allows the user to either stream the show from the previous seven days or if downloaded it lasts for 30 days. This is an intriguing model because it would allow content providers to take better advantage of adds and to give assurances of add relevancy while giving the content users the choice to download the content instead of only being allowed to steam it. I would love to see the American studios take advantage of this program as long as they remember to keep it free for users and add supported if it will be disposable downloads.

BBC iPlayer Top 10 (25/12/07 to 12/02/08)

1 Doctor Who
2 Louis Theroux Behind Bars
3 Torchwood
4 Ashes To Ashes
5 Torchwood
6 Six Nations Rugby
7 Top Gear
8 Mistresses
9 Mistresses
10 Torchwood

(via Webuser)

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