Despite rumors pegging an Apple streaming television service announcement for the last World Wide Developer’s Conference, and then walked back, new information from “sources familiar with the matter” are now claiming that negotiations between the networks are going well, and the service is still on track for a fall release. Reportedly, the broadcast networks are negotiating on behalf of Apple for affiliate (local) feeds, and this has removed friction from the process.
According to the New York Post, affiliate groups Sinclair and Tribune are being told by the parent networks that if the locals offer the broadcast feeds for the Apple service, that revenue generated by the streaming both in advertising and subscription fees will be shared. One network source told the Post that the affiliates are going with this plan as “Apple has a lot of reach and this is a good opportunity.”
Apple’s Eddy Cue and Tim Cook were spotted at Sun Valley last week. While little is known about discussion had at the broadcast media-centric event, Cook was spotted talking with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, CBS’ Les Moonves, and Patriots owner Bob Kraft.
Apple’s 30 percent cut of revenue has been a problem in the discussion, and are apparently still up for debate. Another unnamed source told the Post that the fee is “still a negotiation.”
“The platform is ready, and it rocks” one source told the Post. Despite unsourced reports, the service remains little more than a rumor.
