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Looks like Legend of Korra Books 1 and 2 have been pulled from the store and the new Book 3 is not available either. Anyone have any news about this? Will they return? If not I hope there is a program to provide refunds to those who purchased the content, now that purchases can be made from devices with non-persistent storage like the Apple TV the license to the content should be persistent or refunded if made no longer available.
Any rights-holders can remove their items from the store the at any time, and only the rights-holder will know if/when they might add those items back. There are no refunds if an item is removed.
That amounts to theft since you are able to make a purchase of a persistent rights license to content from devices that are unable to store the content permanently. You even get an option on an IOS device to download a purchase "later". If someone had purchased the content minutes before it was removed the store they would be put of luck then? I suppose it is time to engage a class action firm as there is an understanding of permanence when options for purchase are presented and the store now allows for purchases from devices that are not able to save the content.
You are only guaranteed one download of each item. If a person had opted to download later then they would probably get a refund. The store's terms include :
If a product becomes unavailable following a transaction but prior to download, your sole remedy is a refund. If technical problems prevent or unreasonably delay delivery of your product, your exclusive and sole remedy is either replacement or refund of the price paid, as determined by Apple.
...
As you may not be able to subsequently download certain previously-purchased iTunes Eligible Content, once you download an item of iTunes Eligible Content, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage it, and you may want to back it up.
I'm hoping that you're merely explaining the policy rather than defending it. Apple sells iTunes content while trumpeting promises that the user can stream purchased content from the cloud to Apple devices. For example, I know someone who purchased a season of The Legend of Korra from iTunes to stream from their Apple TV, but who uses a laptop and doesn't have storage space for all the many movies, songs and programs they've purchased. I myself have purchased and downloaded both of the first two seasons ($80) and have them all safely downloaded on my computer, but I still feel that I've lost something by losing the ability to stream remotely when I'm away from my primary iTunes library.
You are correct in this: when we purchase iTunes content, it can be taken away for any reason, without explanation. Although we are forced to accept those terms when we purchase content via iTunes, taking our money and then taking away the things we've purchased -- well, that's theft. We didn't agree to be robbed, but Apple did in fact warn us that we *could* be robbed if either they or the content providers felt like it. It's hard, I think, for the average person to understand just how little either Apple or Viacom cares about our feelings once they've got our cash in-hand. I've been trying to get the courtesy of a simple explanation from either Apple or any number of Nickelodeon reps over the past two weeks. No answers - Apple says they know nothing, and Nick can't even be troubled to respond with a simple yes/no as to whether the removal (from the U.S. store *only*) is intentional.
Right now Nick / Viacom is playing games; they're in bed with Amazon and I expect that has something to do with this. Google "Legend of Korra - Book 3" and you'll see that this has been a mismanaged catastrophe from day one; Nickelodeon appears to be dumping the season as quickly as possible due to online leaks back in the late spring.
It's too bad - it's a great show, and my two daughters love it. But they will have to do without. I will never, EVER intentionally put another penny in Viacom's pocket after this coy little game they've decided to play. If they don't want my money, I'll be glad to spend it elsewhere.
It seems that some progress has possibly been made..I can see and watch cloud stored episodes on my iPad now for the first two seasons. Still not in the store though for past seasons or the current one.
XBox video has season three and a season pass, so whatever this issue is it is between Apple and Viacom it seems. I would rather buy it on iTunes as I have more viewing flexibility, but I will consider it from another source if it doesn't show up soon.
These content wars are getting really old when it comes to store fronts with purchase options. The consumer is the only one that gets hurt in the end and it would be great if Congress would actually focus on something useful and provide some consumer protections for digital store fronts.
If that's true, it is indeed a step in the right direction. I'm angry with Viacom for cutting the millions of iTunes users out of content because of their recent love affair with Amazon, but I was *furious* with them for taking my $80 and then shutting me out of the content completely.
I'm rethinking purchasing online content at this point altogether. I've worked hard to teach my kids to not torrent - to be patient when necessary and purchase whatever they want to watch or listen to. Now it's seeming like a better choice would be to watch the content online from one of the many non-official sources, then pay for the content when it becomes available on physical media. Viacom can pull the same stunt with XBOX and Amazon whenever it wants to, and it has a track record of doing do - that's a lot of money to flush down the toilet so that Philippe Dauman can rake 37.2 million in compensation (last year alone!). They'll have a much harder time taking my Blu-Rays away when Mr. Dauman decides that he needs a few more manservants.
Music is a safer bet because of the DRM removal. I can buy from Amazon and iTunes and it works just fine in my all-Apple ecosystem. These competing DRM solutions for video make me want to claw my eyes out.
Yes it drives me crazy too. Amazon also has season 3 available for a season pass...but like you I am debating just waiting for the Blu-Ray, I missed the first few episodes as it was started early so I may just buy those and then keep watching from this point with my DVR.
I've confirmed that you are correct - people who have previously purchased Books 1 & 2 can now redownload the content or stream from their devices. We're making progress. Next: trying to get through to Viacom that we're not switching to a Mac-unfriendly video ecosystem just because they have capriciously decided to withhold content from iTunes users. Write, Tweet, post on their Facebook page, write to media sites like Arstechnica and Gizmodo asking for investigation into the back story. I sent a letter to Amazon letting them know that I'm boycotting Amazon - for my family, that's more than $1k a year - if evidence emerges that they are conspiring with Viacom to withhold content from Apple users. Vote with your dollars. Philippe Dauman, CEO of Viacom, took home 37.2 million dollars in compensation LAST YEAR ALONE. He has said in two separate interviews that I've watched that he wants you buying your digital video on Amazon, hoping you'll buy more Spongebob DVDs and toys while you are on their site. (paraphrased, but not exaggerating!)
It *appears* at this point that he wants to screw iTunes users out of content here to make fistfuls of green on licensed merchandise over on Amazon. He *loves* Amazon for this reason.
There are million of iTunes users and if he finds this strategy to be successful, we're likely to be looking at an ever-dwindling pool of content on the iTunes store. Speak up. Don't let 'em get away with it. If they won't hear you, stop giving them your money.
Without fanfare, Nick / Viacom has put Legend of Korra Books 1 and 2 back on iTunes (deeply discounted, no less!) and it looks like they are relaxing our exile even further: Book 3 and even a Season Pass for Book 4 are now available, too. I'm guessing that the decision to shut us out of their new "all-digital" initiative may have been expensive for them, in both the short and long term.
Nickelodeon Legend of Korra pulled from iTunes Store..
