寻新利润 苹果推网络电视服务

据知情人士透露，苹果正在向包括哥伦比亚广播公司和迪士尼公司在内的多家美国电视网络运营商示好，希望在明年推出一项网络电视节目订购服务。
Apple is courting owners of US television networks, including CBS and Walt Disney, in the hope of launching a subscription television service over the internet by next year, people familiar with the discussions said.
　　
预计苹果将在iTunes数字娱乐商店提供此项服务。该商店目前提供电影和电视节目的收费下载，但没有月租费的方式。
The service is expected to be offered over Apple's iTunes digital entertainment store, which sells movies and TV shows, but does not offer them for a recurring monthly fee.
　　
市场普遍预期这家iPod与iPhone的制造商将很快推出一款“平板”电脑，上述服务将是苹果通过这款新设备提供的娱乐与新闻服务内容之一。
The debut of the service is among other entertainment and news services that the maker of the iPod and iPhone could offer on the “tablet” computer it is widely expected to launch imminently.

杂志出版商时代公司和康泰纳仕出版集团已经为新一代掌上平板设备设计了旗下杂志的原始电子版本。这些设备来自惠普、三星，可能也包括苹果。
Magazine publishers Time Inc and Conde Nast have created prototype digital editions of their magazines for a new generation of handheld tablet devices from companies including Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and potentially Apple.

苹果还联系了其它广播公司和有线电视网络公司，包括时代华纳旗下的Turner Broadcasting System和维亚康姆。苹果的提议迄今为止尚未令这些公司信服。据行业高管称，苹果公司还向图书出版行业示好。
Apple has contacted other broadcast and cable networks, including Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System and Viacom, which have so far been unconvinced by Apple's proposal. The computer maker has also courted the book publishing industry, sector executives say.

摩根士丹利分析师凯瑟琳．休伯蒂表示：“（平板设备）背后的推动力将是内容。”
“The driver behind it [the tablet] will be content,” said Kathryn Huberty, a Morgan Stanley analyst.
　　
苹果准备于下月发布一项声明。许多人预测声明将为其平板电脑正式揭幕，但苹果公司迄今一直拒绝证实存在这种设备。华尔街分析师预测，苹果平板电脑最早将于明年2月开始大规模生产。
Apple is preparing an announcement next month that many anticipate will be the official unveiling of its tablet, but the company has so far declined to confirm the existence of the device. Wall Street analysts expect mass production of an Apple tablet to begin as early as February.

了解谈判情况的高管们担心，苹果可能推出的电视服务会损害付费电视行业有利的经济状况。目前，MTV等基础电视网络向有线电视运营商等分销商按用户数量收取费用，并通过销售广告获利。
Executives close to the discussions fear Apple's possible TV service could undermine the lucrative economics of the pay television industry, where basic networks such as MTV collect a fee per subscriber from distributors such as cable operators as well as selling advertising.

这个经受了30多年考验的商业模式，已经使有线电视网络成为经济危机时期媒体行业适应力最强的部门之一，也是今年秋天康卡斯特寻求从通用电气手中收购NBC环球控股权的首要原因。
The business model, honed over three decades, has made cable networks one of the most resilient sectors of the media industry during the recession and was the chief reason why Comcast sought to take control of NBC Universal from General Electric this autumn.

高管们表示，与苹果合作创立订购服务有可能让分销商感到不安。
Creating a new subscription service with Apple could upset distributors, these people said.

《华尔街日报》(Wall Street Journal)报道称，据说苹果提供的电视广播网络将向每个订购用户收取2至4美元，基础有线网络将收取1至2美元的月租费。
Apple was said to be offering broadcast networks $2 to $4 per subscriber and basic cable networks $1 to $2 a month, according to a Wall Street Journal report.