Apple adds Warner Bros. favorites to iTunes

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Apple Computer on Tuesday announced that classic hit programming from Warner Bros.' vast television library is now available for purchase and download on the iTunes Music Store.



The new content features favorites such as the hugely popular sitcom "Friends," sci-fi epic "Babylon 5" and some of the most popular sketches from "MADtv," as well as animated classics including "The Jetsons" and "The Flintstones."



Also available is the never-before-seen pilot episode of "Aquaman" -- a grounded, contemporary reinterpretation of DC Comics' Aquaman mythology from the acclaimed writing/producing team of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar ("Smallville").



"We're thrilled to add hit programming from Warner Bros. as we continue to grow our video catalog with the best current and classic television programming," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "iTunes is the world's most popular online video store with over 35 million videos sold."



Including the latest additions, iTunes now offers over 150 different TV shows for $1.99 per episode for viewing on a computer or iPod.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    jasenj1jasenj1 Posts: 923member
    I think the announcement machine is cranking up pre-WWDC.



    Updated iPods? Laptops? New iWorks?



    - Jasen.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    buzdotsbuzdots Posts: 452member
    Hot Ziggidy Shit, Batman!!!
  • Reply 3 of 20
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jasenj1

    I think the announcement machine is cranking up pre-WWDC.



    Updated iPods? Laptops? New iWorks?




    Warner Bros ...don't they produce movies







    p.s. people keep on mentioning New iWorks, new iWorks came in Jan '06 and the new new one wont be here 'till Macworld Jan '07.
  • Reply 4 of 20
    recompilerecompile Posts: 100member
    This is definitely a sign that the negotiations with the major video players is reaching an end. It seems that itunes is just the way to for online distribution. MS may be able to bend to the wants of the greedy record companies and the greedy movie powerhouses, but people want to OWN their libraries, and they want them for a good stable price. Not a tiered one, or a subscription based service. The story ends, that if you want to sell product online, iTunes has the market. About 80%. This will throw out their greedy and power hungry intentions fast. 8) 8)
  • Reply 5 of 20
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    Another terrible announcement. Their catalogue of shitty quality video continues to grow. They are locking themselves into the ultra-low quality and won't be able to compete with it in the future. Although... people are supposedly buying these shows now, so who knows. Seeing as how you can barely make them double size, let alone full-screen, people must have lost their minds. For the quality offered, I'd say they are worth about 30 cents tops. And that's only if it's an episode that you really really want to see.
  • Reply 6 of 20
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Quote:

    They are locking themselves into the ultra-low quality and won't be able to compete with it in the future.



    What's your reasoning for thinking Apple is locked into never using higher-bandwidth video in future?
  • Reply 7 of 20
    guarthoguartho Posts: 1,208member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nathan22t

    Another terrible announcement. Their catalogue of shitty quality video continues to grow. They are locking themselves into the ultra-low quality and won't be able to compete with it in the future. Although... people are supposedly buying these shows now, so who knows. Seeing as how you can barely make them double size, let alone full-screen, people must have lost their minds. For the quality offered, I'd say they are worth about 30 cents tops. And that's only if it's an episode that you really really want to see.



    er... I always watched my Battlestar Galactica episodes from iTunes on my 19" at full screen. On my CRT it was even indistinguishable from the cable I used to watch it on before moving. (Granted, it was pretty shitty cable.)
  • Reply 8 of 20
    Grrr... they keep announcing new shows, but they still don't even have one show available in Canada. I'm assuming all of the other countries are the same. How long does it take for them to work out these deals in countries other than the US?
  • Reply 9 of 20
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nagromme

    What's your reasoning for thinking Apple is locked into never using higher-bandwidth video in future?



    If they did increase the video resolution, then they would be potentially tipping their hand as to the capabilities of their next portable media device.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nagromme

    What's your reasoning for thinking Apple is locked into never using higher-bandwidth video in future?



    First off, I hope they switch to higher-quality tomorrow, or as soon as some new iPod device comes out. But they haven't yet upped the quality of iTunes songs, besides a few minor behind-the-scenes revisions to AAC. Seeing as how Steve likes to keep things simple, I'm not sure how they are going to have two different qualities in the store at the same price. Particularly when there is already so much content in the store already. And no indication that Apple has the ability to increase the quality of the existing content, since they don't own the masters or whatever.



    Sure, they could just go for it... and have two different qualities of video and let consumers deal with it how they may... but I think Steve's ideology prohibits that from happening.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nathan22t

    Another terrible announcement. Their catalogue of shitty quality video continues to grow. They are locking themselves into the ultra-low quality and won't be able to compete with it in the future. Although... people are supposedly buying these shows now, so who knows. Seeing as how you can barely make them double size, let alone full-screen, people must have lost their minds. For the quality offered, I'd say they are worth about 30 cents tops. And that's only if it's an episode that you really really want to see.



    1. It's no worse than the TV most people watch.

    2. There's a trade-off between quality and download time.

    3. They certainly could, and obviously will, offer higher quality in the future.
  • Reply 12 of 20
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    It's no worse than the TV most people watch.



    You say you're from "the Rockies". I take it you recieve an old TV signal up there. It's worse than normal tv, noticeably worse.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ireland

    You say you're from "the Rockies". I take it you recieve an old TV signal up there. It's worse than normal tv, it's noticeable.



    No, Europe uses PAL which has a higher resolution than American NTSC broadcast (although a lower framerate).
  • Reply 14 of 20
    Please Apple, give us something in the UK too. Music videos don't really do it for me.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    shaun, ukshaun, uk Posts: 1,050member
    Hello Mr Jobs,



    This is the rest of the world here.



    Any chance we can have a few TV shows aswell please????
  • Reply 16 of 20
    porchlandporchland Posts: 478member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by nathan22t

    And no indication that Apple has the ability to increase the quality of the existing content, since they don't own the masters or whatever.



    Sure, they could just go for it... and have two different qualities of video and let consumers deal with it how they may... but I think Steve's ideology prohibits that from happening.




    What makes you think the versions of content that Apple has on iTMS are the highest quality versions that they have? You think they'd go to all that trouble prepping content just to have to do it all over again later?



    We'll eventually been seeing this same stuff from Apple in HD. Book it.
  • Reply 17 of 20
    plasmoplasmo Posts: 13member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by xanthohappy

    Grrr... they keep announcing new shows, but they still don't even have one show available in Canada. I'm assuming all of the other countries are the same. How long does it take for them to work out these deals in countries other than the US?





    G'day, Australia is missing out on TV show downloads also. It took 2 years for iTunes to arrive in Australia, do we have to wait 2 years for TV show downloads also?
  • Reply 18 of 20
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by plasmo

    G'day, Australia is missing out on TV show downloads also. It took 2 years for iTunes to arrive in Australia, do we have to wait 2 years for TV show downloads also?



    This is one situation where I really can't blame Apple. I hope that the owners of the music and videos would wise up on future distribution like this. I don't think it makes sense to frustrate the customers with delayed international releases. Currently, the rights are often divided by region or country and that is a separate set of negotiations or agreements. I really don't understand why the TV series owners would delay the overseas broadcast airings of TV series vs. the US market, especially considering there is no language adaptation needed for the English speaking countries.
  • Reply 19 of 20
    garyukgaryuk Posts: 5member
    Great, nothing for the UK STILL!!
  • Reply 20 of 20
    here is my money... please take it!... just by adding the SAME content to the UK store.



    i than'k yooooo
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