# When does iTunes put their TV shows online? (how soon after airing)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 13, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773 "2006-01-13T03:22:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773/1 "2006-01-13T03:22:47Z")

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I missed LOST last night due to a DVR screw up. So I was looking forward to downloading it from iTunes and watching it today - but it still isn’t up. On the Apple site it says “watch it the next day after it airs”. How long does it usually take after a show airs until it shows up on iTunes to purchase and download?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773/2 "2006-01-13T04:47:53Z")

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Since this practice is in its infancy, you can’t really hold ABC or iTunes to a set date. They’d like to have it up the next day, but there could be technical issues.

A lot of people got iPODs over Christmas so they may want to do something to prepare themselves for an onslaught of downloads.

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**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773/3 "2006-01-13T05:16:44Z")

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If a bunch of dirty hippie internet beatniks can have a show up 4 hours after it airs, I don’t see why apple can’t do it faster. Considering they presumably have access to the digital file before it airs, it should be up the second after the show starts it’s broadcast.

Or maybe they have some licensing agreement which says they can’t put it up until it finishes airing in some obscure part of the world so as to not cannabalise ad revenue?

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773/4 "2006-01-13T13:01:39Z")

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It shows up now (7AM Central Friday)

Brian

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**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-itunes-put-their-tv-shows-online-how-soon-after-airing/339773/5 "2006-01-13T16:48:39Z")

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Yep, I got it.

I was just curious because I had never downloaded a TV show after it aired from iTunes.