AppleInsider | NBC chief says Apple ‘destroyed’ music pricing: “BC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker on Sunday urged colleagues to take a stand against Apple’s iTunes, charging that the digital download service was undermining the ability of traditional media companies to set profitable rates for their content online.

(Via Apple Insider.)

Gee, based on the harsh words one might think Zucker has something to promote? Thats right, Hulu.

Jeff Zuker, you are a moron.

NBC, like traditional content providers, has more content than viewers can watch.

24 hours of content run every day on their network.

Which is then syndicated to run 24 hours a day again and again - all around the world.

Jeff, most of us are busy and don’t have time to watch all your content, and I will never pay more to download inferior quality content to watch on my Mac, iPod or iPhone, than it costs to buy it on DVD.

Hell, with thanksgiving sales coming up, I can probably get most of your series on DVD for $20 or less on DVD.

Yet you are whining over Apple and iTunes customers not wanting to kick down more than $40 a season for crappy quality DRM protected drivel? Please.

You are drooling over Apple’s hardware sales, wishing those numbers were yours like a greedy spoiled little child.

Go get a bunch of clever engineers and invent the next iPhone, iPod or OS and you too can make the big bucks.

Seriously, how about you quit looking at downloadable content to replace the revenue stream of broadcast, DVD sales and syndication.

You say you only made $15 million from iTunes last year. Thats $15 million more than you would have made.

Here are a few ideas to help you not be such a jackass:

1. Open up your vault of older content, ship that into the digital channels, and earn honest money from something not making you a penny today.

2. Offer content online at the same time as it airs on broadcast. You are losing sales to bittorrent, tivo and dvd burners by delaying digital distribution until days after the traditional broadcast.

3. Make better deals with tech-savvy marketers for product placement in your digital content.

Lastly, get a clue. Hulu may become a hit this season thanks to holding content hostage behind the slick veneer of a yet another flash player, surrounded by advertising.

But, when I want to relax and be entertained, I am not going to go sit behind my Mac and surf to your website to watch a show.

I want to watch something on my couch, while sitting in a airport, or while waiting at the doctors office.

Guess who made that convenient and possible for me? Not you and not Hulu.

Oh, one last thing, if you want us to value your content, quit putting it in the value bin at Walmart and Target.

“Gee, honey wasn’t that season of Alias $50 last week? Now its only $19.99!, guess we better wait for the sale from now on”.

This song, by Rob Dickinson, will be in both a movie and television show within the next year, if not sooner.

As I sit here downloading the HD trailers for Alpha Dog, 300, Spider-Man 3 and Ghost Ride, it occurred to me that Apple really needs to take a page from YouTube.

I should be able to embed trailers I find at Apple’s trailer page in my blog.

Not those fuzzy YouTube flash movies. The real deal. Small H.264 compressed movies with slick little buttons for larger versions.

While we are at it why not throw in a button to find show times, movie tickets, itunes versions and ipods?

Ran across a highly under-rated and short-lived television series in the iTunes Music Store called Touching Evil.

!Touchingevil

It was a short-lived series on the USA network that had a very unique quality to it. It was well produced, dark and slightly disturbing, with excellent acting.

Unfortunately, only a single episode is available on iTunes (and not the pilot either). Also, Amazon does not show the DVD version of the series as shipping. But I highly recommend it!

On a recent Gilmour Daily podcast, Steve Gilmour and Doc Searls discussed DRM.

During the conversation, the concept of triggering the memory of a commercially encumbered work in the listener, as a way of by-passing the music companies stranglehold on distribution, was suggested.

AKA. The all-too-familiar tune in my head solution.

Could you trigger the memory of the song, without actually distributing it and avoid paying the music companies.

As usual I jumped in the shower and my brain would not let go of the issue at the heart of this problem.

What if, creators were able to embed tags as bookmarks throughout a podcast? Perhaps ID3 tags as bookmarks?

Essentially, tag the podcast with what they were thinking, intending or expecting listeners to hear (feel?) at precise points in the recording.

As the podcast played, the playback application would locate the relevant track based on the tag, inserted it or play it at the intended location, and then pick-up right where it left off after the new content was inserted.

With a vast amount of content already distributed to billions of devices and households, in the form of CD collections ripped to disk and content purchased legally, why not take advantage of the material residing locally?

Player applications, like iTunes, could be tweaked to scan podcasts for these tags and pre-load/mix content before or during playback.

Syncing applications could do the same for detached devices like iPods.

Recording applications could automate the process, by creating these tags or bookmarks, as the intended material was queued during recording or in post-production.

This would effectively route-around the media industries copyright war-zone, freeing up producers and consumers to create, share and mash-up content as they like. A side benefit, this technique would save a huge amount of bandwidth.

But, what if the specified content was missing from the local device?

In the case of iTunes, a user might specify a set of rules to replace missing content with content from the artist, genre or preview of the track from the iTunes music store.

If nothing appropriate is available it might just skip over the tag, or insert a sexy english voice stating, “The content suggested is not available. Visit this podcast’s site for more details”.

Consumers and producers might want a random tag, used to insert random content by artist or genre. Thereby creating a unique experience every time the podcast is replayed.

Imagine if the consumer could specify the content for the advertising/promos in podcasts?

This would radically differentiate the advertising model emerging in podcasting from the old school media companies. Consumers selecting the type of ads or promos they want to hear, perhaps?

A whole new business could be created hosting and distribute content for insertion into podcasts, at the playback level.

Content-shifting inside time-shifted media, The next innovation in podcasting, in my opinion.

The motion picture industry is in talks with some major retailers about installing DVD burning kiosks in stores. It’s an interesting idea, but one that almost entirely misses the point.

(Via Ars Technica.)

This is a decade late. The days of carbon-based movie distribution is drawing to a close.

Movie distribution companies should have done this a decade ago. When Blockbuster was all the rage.

Today, consumers want to download, share and mash-up content. Not trudge down to some kiosk, that may or may not be working when they get there, and purchase a DVD.

Netflix, Bit-torrent and iTunes have proven that consumers don’t want some stodgy low-tech solution.

If I really want a DVD, I will stop by the discount bins at Taret or EB Games and pickup that oh-so-precious intellectual property, the movie companies are fighting to protect, for $4-10 each.

If the movie companies want to be innovative, try same-day pay per view of premieres. I would pay to see the latest blockbuster world premiere, broadcast live in HD, on opening night. They could through in an option up-sell of a live Q&A session with the stars or director immediately following the event to rake in more bucks.

Hell, why doesn’t the music industry do this with concerts? $300 for tickets to see Madonna – I think not. But $50 for an evening of HD coverage of her concert with perfect surround sound, in the comfort of my home – absolutely.

track Mr. Lovely rocks. You can buy her tracks or album here.

I caught it on Adam Currey’s Daily Source Code podcast.

It also turned me on to, Indieeclectic.com. Which is a pretty cool indie music site that sell DRM free music.

Today’s desert island track, Ship of Fools by World Party, from Private Revolution.

This is a timeless classic in my opinion. Every bit as relevant today as it was years ago.

Today’s desert island disc is, Abandon Luncheonette from Daryl Hall & John Oates.

I grew up pillaging my mothers record collection and have nothing but fond memories of this awesome album.

I missed last week’s music post, must have been longing on the a beach or something. ;-)

Today’s desert island track, The Truth by Limp Bizkit, from Part 1 of The Unquestionable Truth.

An accidental discovery, the guitar hook and energy grabbed me and has never let go.

Definitely has a dash of Rage against the Machine in there.

Check out the video.

Today’s desert island disc is, Harvest Moon from Neil Young.

Neil Young. Instant Classic. Enough Said.

Apple has rolled out their Multi-Pass feature for the iTMS.

It appears that only The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, from Comedy Central appear to be using the features.

Can the Channel-Pass or Season-Pass be next?

Get all content from Comedy Central for a low yearly fee?

Can you hear that sound?

Its the sound of old-school media executives keeling over.

Yesterday, on the [Gillmor Gang](http://f8p.com/34ubqr ) podcast, one participant said that any PVR/DVR devices lacking a cable tuner (ie. Mac Mini with Front Row) was DOA in the marketplace.

Steve Gillmor was as stunned as I was.

Along with countless others, I do not adhere to old-school media rules.

I don’t have a television, cable or any hardwired pipe to my living room, for them to take advantage of.

My entertainment and recreational time is random and doesn’t conform to their push mentality.

Today, it is about pulling the content you want, when you want and viewing it where you want.

Today’s desert island track, Restless by Evil Nine & Toastie Taylor, from the motion picture soundtrack for London.

Makes you move. Nice solid groove with a mildly hectic passage.

Today’s desert island disc is, Angel Dust from Faith No More.

The trailblazers for today’s rock-rappers. A true mash-up of rock, rap and electronic with attention paid to composition.

Oops. I forgot to post these on Friday, they were left lingering in draft mode.

Today’s desert island track, C’mon Children by The Out Crowd

Reminiscent of 60’s psychedelic rock.

Today’s desert island disc is, Amos Lee – Live at KCRW.

The male counterpart of Norah Jones. Great voice, excellent compositions, and perfect for chilling out.

Today’s desert island track, Super Bon Bon by Soul Coughing

Grooving, dark and powerful.

Today’s desert island disc is, Dark Side of the Moon from Pink Floyd.

An all time classic, which I first experienced as a child sitting on the bow of a speed boat, listening in the high fidelity of the original Walkman, as we sped across a lake.

Not available on iTunes.

Today’s desert island track, F**n’ in the Bushes from the album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants by Oasis

Not what you would expect from Oasis.

Today’s desert island disc is, Lemon Parade from Tonic.

This album is a ranges from rollicking fun to melancholy, yet touching.

I don’t have a cat, so cat blogging is out for me.

But I do love music, so I wanted to kick off Desert Island Music Friday’s.

A single track and disc (album, compilation, etc.) that I would want if stranded on a desert island.

Today’s desert island track, I’m Trying To Learn To Serve (Hidden Track) from Dishwalla’s album Pet Your Friends.

Unfortunately, you can’t get this track on iTunes. :-(

If all you heard from Dishwalla was the overplayed Counting Blue Cars, you missed a great album from an awesome Santa Barbara-based band.

Today’s desert island disc is, Kasabian’s self-titled debut album.

This album is awesome from start to finish. It picks up were The Verve’s Urban Hymns left off.