Edible Apple

Since returning to iTunes just over a week ago, NBC TV shows have been downloaded over 1 million times. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “about 30% of the top-selling episodes and season passes now comprise shows either airing on or produced by NBC Universal.”

NBC originally left iTunes in a much publicized move over frustrations with iTunes pricing scheme. NBC claims that it wanted to experiment with pricing different television shows at varying prices while Apple  claimed that NBC wanted to sell certain television series for as much as $4.99 an episode, an allegation that NBC strongly denied.

Even after the announcement that NBC was returning to iTunes, Apple and NBC continued to trade verbal jabs as to which side caved in first. That aside, NBC on iTunes is mutually beneficial for both companies. NBC has an impressive catalog of hit shows, including “The Office”, “Heroes”, and “Battlestar Gallactica”. Between the prevalence of iTunes and the immense popularity of NBC’s catalog of TV shows, it was only a matter of time before Apple and NBC realized that they were both squandering an opportunity to make some cash.

Before NBC left in August of 2007, its shows accounted for 40% percent of the content sold on iTunes. With over 1 million episodes sold in just over a week, its abundantly clear that NBC will once again reign supreme on iTunes.