NBC Direct to challenge Apple iTunes with free download offer

NBC has announced that they would now start offering free downloads of shows such as “Heroes” and “The Office” in limited quantities.

The aim is to expand their online distribution of digital media as they aim to challenge the domination of Apple Inc in this field.

They have named their new service NBC Direct and they would be offering their downloads on Microsoft Windows software for up to a week after the show has aired on television.

These downloaded shows would come with advertising which would not be skippable.

The service is currently scheduled to launch sometime in October this year and would allow interested users to subscribe to the shows enabling them to download them automatically as they are made available.

Vivi Zigler, executive vice president of NBC Digital Entertainment added in a statement: “With the creation of this new service, we are acknowledging that now, more than ever, viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they consumer their favorite entertainment.”