Apple Streaming TV Service Faces Delay Over Local Programming Negotiations
One of its biggest goals is to deliver widespread access to local programming. If successful, Apple would immediately one-up all of the competition, such as Sony and Dish, which have only been able to offer local programming in a handful of cities.
The problem, not surprisingly, is that dealing with all of the business contracts to make this a reality takes a long time and requires a ton of effort. Part of the problem here is that some broadcasters don't even own all of their local stations, so to say this is a complex process would be an understatement.
All told, this determination to deliver local programming means one thing: Apple's TV service is not likely to launch in the early fall, as the company hoped it'd be able to do. That's unfortunate, but there is something to be said about a company that has such high standards with its products; it's not willing to push one out early and risk not impressing its customers. I wish more companies shared that kind of ethos.