TV Networks Pat Themselves On Back For Selling Shows Online

Here's a story that's run in Variety and on CNN, suggesting that TV networks are really clever for having risked so much by selling downloads of TV shows on iTunes. Actually, the networks would have been stupid NOT to sell shows legally for download. What's so bright about it? People can watch and tape TV shows for free, illegal downloads are available hours after a show airs all over the net, so why not offer a legal option? In fact, the networks are stupid for making such a half-assed effort. Instead of every network making every show available legally at iTunes, some provide certain shows on their own websites, other shows through cable companies and AOL, others through iTunes -- it's as if they were only selling CDs at certain chains and people had to figure out where to go to buy the music they wanted. Networks have a long way to go before they deserve congratulations.