• The Business Insider, Tuesday, January 26, 2010 11:54 PM

On the eve of the Apple tablet release, Steve Jobs is asking TV networks to get cheap. In meetings with television executives, Apple has also been urging TV networks to slash their price tags on shows sold through iTunes to $0.99 -- half of the standard $1.99 price. Apple believes lowering prices will increase sales dramatically, offsetting any revenue lost from the cuts.

Networks are resisting, citing the music industry's 2003 pact with Apple to reduce prices. The plan helped boost downloads, but album sales slumped. With DVRs, Netflix and illegal online downloads already plaguing TV studios' profits, Apple asking networks to reduce prices might seem unfair. Yet a quick review of the Top 10 TV shows downloaded on iTunes, including "24," "The Office" and "Vampire Diaries," show each episode costs $2.99. Bundled "season passes" are also pricey. NBC's The Office season 6 pass costs $59.99.

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