Apple finally seems to be warming up to the the fact that it needs original programming if it ever hopes to compete in the TV space. To be sure, there are no shortage of movies and TV shows available for purchase and rental via iTunes, but Netflix has demonstrated that a stable of high-quality and exclusive content is what really moves the needle in today’s ever-evolving entertainment age.
Late last week, word surfaced that Apple was finally preparing to dive into the realm of original content head first. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple has been busy talking with producers about developing episodic shows similar in style to hit shows like HBO’s Westworld and Netflix’s Stranger Things. This is a promising development given that shows like Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps aren’t exactly thrilling programs capable of attracting a wide audience in the same way that a show like House of Cards can pull in viewers.
In the wake of that report, Apple Music chief and longtime music industry veteran Jimmy Iovine explained Apple’s goals in the media space while appearing at a Television Critics Association event this past weekend. Iovine’s remarks were originally relayed by The Hollywood Reporter.
“At Apple Music, what we’re trying to create is an entire cultural, pop cultural experience, and that happens to include audio and video,” Iovine said. “If South Park walks into my office, I am not going to say you’re not musicians, you know? We’re going to do whatever hits popular culture smack on the nose. We’re going to try.”
Reports indicate that Apple’s first stab at compelling original programming may hit Apple Music before the end of the year.
As a final point, it’s worth noting that Apple’s deep pockets could certainly help it roll out any number of hit shows. As we’ve explained previously, Apple would only need $538 million in order to cumulatively produce one season of each of the following shows:
- Game of Thrones
- Breaking Bad
- House of Cards
- Orange is the new Black
- Arrested Development
- Mad Men
- Marco Polo
- The Wire
- The Big Bang Theory
- Sons of Anarchy
All in all, it’s reassuring to see that Apple finally seems to have a semblance of a strategy in a space that it’s ignored for far too long.
