American Idol’ Performances Available Exclusively on the iTunes Store
Music & Video Performances Available the Next Day LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Interactive Media, 19 Entertainment, FremantleMedia and Apple(R), for the first time, have partnered to bring music fans all of the contestant performances from Season Seven of television’s most popular show exclusively on the iTunes(R) Store (http://www.itunes.com). Kicking off with the “American Idol” Top 24 semifinalists this week, customers can purchase music performances for 99 cents per song, and viewers will be able to purchase the full video of Top 12 finalist performances for $1.99, starting March 11. In addition, beginning today, fans can pre-order performances of their favorite contestants from the iTunes Store, which will be automatically downloaded the day after the show airs.
“We have some truly outstanding talent this year, and by working with
Apple and iTunes, we’re giving viewers another great way to enjoy America’s
brightest new stars from ‘Idol,’” said Simon Fuller, creator of “American
Idol” and Founder of 19 Entertainment. “I’m sure there will be many
memorable performances that viewers will want to relive from this 2008
season.”
“We’ve created a special section on the iTunes Store for ‘Idol’ fans
with an incredible array of music and video performances from television’s
most popular show,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We
think ‘American Idol’ viewers are going to love the ability to purchase and
download ‘Idol’ performances from iTunes.”
iTunes will also provide exclusive direct links from the free streaming
performance videos on americanidol.com (http://www.americanidol.com), the
official website of the show and home to MyIdol, the Internet’s largest
“American Idol” fan site. Fans will be able to simply click through to
iTunes if they want to purchase their favorite performances to own and
enjoy on their iPod(R), iPhone(TM) or Apple TV(R).
The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music store with
over four billion songs sold, and has the world’s largest catalog with over
six million songs. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features
such as new iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix
playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into
complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and
iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac(R) and PC users to legally
discover, purchase and download music and video online.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes 7.6 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is
available as a free download from http://www.itunes.com. Purchase and
download of songs and videos from the iTunes Store requires a valid credit
card from a financial institution in the country of purchase. American Idol
music and video content is available in the US and Canada only. Music
performances are 99 cents (US) and video performances are $1.99 (US) per
episode and can be viewed on a Mac or PC, iPod nano with video, iPod
classic, fifth generation iPod, iPod touch, iPhone or on a widescreen TV
with Apple TV.
AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller,
founder and CEO of 19 Entertainment; and executive-produced by Cecile
Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Nigel Lythgoe,
President, 19 Television; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer,
FremantleMedia North America, Inc.
Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) is a unit of News Corporation. FOX
finished the 2006-2007 season as the No. 1 network for the third
consecutive year among Adult 18-49 viewers, while continuing to dominate
all network competition in the more targeted Adults 18-34 and Teen
demographics. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming per week as well
as late night entertainment programming, major sports and Sunday morning
news.
A division of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A), Fox Interactive
Media (FIM) is a portfolio of leading social networking, entertainment,
sports and information sites that offer a platform and tools for consumers
to express themselves, communicate with each other, and engage with media.
The company’s worldwide network includes such category leaders as MySpace,
Photobucket, IGN, FOXSports.com, RottenTomatoes, AskMen, Flektor and more
that together comprise one of the largest audiences on the Web.
FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of
FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution
and Home Entertainment. It is a division of FremantleMedia, one of the
largest international creators and producers of entertainment brands in the
world with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and
factual entertainment programming in over 40 countries worldwide.
FremantleMedia is a subsidiary of RTL Group, Europe’s largest television
and radio broadcast company, which is 90% owned by Bertelsmann AG, an
integrated media and entertainment company that commands leading positions
in the world’s media markets. For further information, visit
http://www.fremantlemedia.com.
FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of
global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, California, FMNA
produces entertaining and innovative television programs for network, cable
and syndicated platforms, including the Emmy-nominated musical/reality
phenomenon “American Idol” (FOX), “American Idol Rewind” (syndicated),
“American Idol Extra” (Fox Reality Channel), “America’s Got Talent” (NBC),
“Farmer Wants A Wife” (The CW), “Can You Duet” (CMT), “The Janice Dickinson
Modeling Agency” (Oxygen), “Property Ladder” (TLC), “Family Feud”
(syndicated), “Temptation” (syndicated), “Million Dollar Password” (CBS),
and the longest-running game show in television history, “The Price Is
Right” (CBS).
Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment (of CKX, Inc., a publicly traded
company listed on the NASDAQ National Market(R) under the ticker symbol
“CKXE”) is recognized as a leading creator, provider and promoter of
globally successful music based entertainment, or “entertainment brands.”
The company has attracted a unique collection of expertise in people who
work together to integrate and leverage activity across television, film,
touring, merchandising, music publishing, recording, artist / writer and
producer management, sponsorship and promotion. Simon Fuller is the most
successful British music manager of all time having sold over 116 million
CDs in North America alone, and is known as the creator of “American Idol”,
the most valuable TV format in the world with an estimated value in excess
of $2.5 billion.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the
Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the
Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with
its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and
professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media
revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online
store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary
iPhone.
(C) 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac,
Mac OS, Macintosh, iTunes, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV are trademarks of
Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
SOURCE Apple