iTunes signs up 11 more TV shows

NBC Universal is the latest US network to tap into Apple's iTunes, offering up nearly a dozen of its TV shows for download onto iPods and PCs, the two companies announced Tuesday.

The iTunes store will offer 11 shows from NBC, USA Network and the Sci-Fi Channel that range from oldies such as the 1950s cop show Dragnet to current shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Apple is charging $1.99 per episode for the television downloads, as well as for music videos and short films. The newly produced shows will be available for download a day after they air on TV, but only in the US for now.

The addition of NBC's television shows to the iTunes inventory comes as TV-programme distribution expands well beyond traditional outlets such as broadcast affiliates and cable services. Telephone companies such as AT&T and Verizon are preparing to deliver TV to US consumers and online giants Google, Yahoo and AOL are also poised to jump into the market.

In October, the Walt Disney Company's television network, ABC, and Disney's cable network began offering five television shows for download via Apple's iTunes.

"We're thrilled to expand the iTunes video catalogue with 11 popular TV shows," Steve Jobs, Apple chief executive, said in a statement. Apple's TV catalogue now includes 16 shows, which can be viewed on the company's new, video-capable iPod.