Wednesday, September 13, 2006

ABC Offering Free Downloads At iTunes

In a very smart promotion, ABC is offering up to one million free downloads of LAST season's finales for "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives." They'll probably broadcast these shows in the currnent timeslots right before the new season begins, but why not make them available for fans who want to remind themselves of where the shows left off? It won't interfere with DVD sales and obviously most of your online sales would have been in May when the episodes aired.

But here's what caught my attention: ABC will also offer unlimited downloads of newly created highlights episodes that feature commentary from the shows' producers...and experts from People and Entertainment Weekly. So editors at magazines supposedly covering the TV industry for their readers are appearing in promotional specials to plug the new fall season? Aren't they even going to PRETEND that they have some objectivity and are not in bed with the networks? I guess not.

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