iTunes Store looking to rent TV shows

iRENT? Apparently taking aim at Hulu, Apple is in talks with several broadcasters, including Fox and Disney/ABC, to offer TV shows for rent at the iTunes Store for the always-alluring price of 99 cents for viewing within a 48-hour window. CBS and NBC, the other two members of TV’s Big Four, are skeptical, believing the plan would siphon off the money they’re already making from selling of episodes on iTunes at $1.99 a pop. But it’s likely that money from the iTunes rental plan would dwarf revenue the companies earn from ad-supported Hulu, assuming Apple is willing take the industry-standard 30% cut on any content rented. "In a sense, this rental model undercuts purchase, but it's the way the world is going," Screen Digest’s Tom Adams told Reuters. (8/25a)