Together Again

Brad and Jen. Ben and JLo. Jessica and Nick. We’ve seen lots of celebrity couples split up during the last few years, but none have affected me as much as this one. I was really disappointed, sad even, when it happened.

Normally, these separations last forever. You seldom see two big names reconcile after parting, but it finally happened. The announcement came yesterday. Two “greats” are joining forces, re-embarking on a once thriving relationship. Apple and NBC have worked out their differences — they are together again. Okay, I know what you are thinking. Apple and NBC are not a celebrity couple, but they are two really big names (dare I say “celebrities”) within the technology and entertainment industries. With that in mind, I think the intro is fitting.

Anyway, the two companies parted last year after disagreements about the pricing structure on iTunes. Some reports stated NBC sought control over the pricing, wanting to charge up to $4.99 per episode. Before the fight, NBC (including its family of networks like Bravo, USA, and SciFi) was the number one supplier of iTunes digital media.

I was really hacked when they pulled out of iTunes. When I’m traveling, I like to download a few episodes to watch on the plane. After NBC left, I couldn’t access some of my favorite shows. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it was annoying.

I’m happy to report that it’s all over now. NBC shows are available again on iTunes. They are even extending a few “welcome back” perks to customers. For a limited time, you can download some of the most popular NBC (and peacock network) shows for FREE. Yes, that’s right — absolutely FREE.

If you are an iTunes user, you can head over there now and let the downloading begin. If you aren’t an iTunes user, it’s easy to become one. Simply download and install the free software, then click on the iTunes store. Once there, click on the NBC banner at the top to download the free episodes.