EU is fragmented and will take time. We get it. The EU Commissioner gets it. But what about Canada?

Sure, we’re friends when you want to steal our singers and comedians, but the minute we want some content back, it’s years before “Degrassi” TV purchases and no news on rentals?

US Network TV (half of it is filmed in Canada already, staring Canadians), and rentals now please

Apple could face hurdles in offering EU movie rentals

Apple has already clashed with the European Union regarding iTunes pricing, but now that the pricing issue has been resolved, Steve Jobs may be looking to move on to his next European challenge: movie rentals. When rentals were introduced at Macworld, Jobs said international rentals were coming “later this year.” He may be in for another tussle with the EU, however, and the International Herald Tribune has outlined some of the possible issues.

Since NBC left iTunes they have inked deal after deal in what looks like a drunken, whorish attempt to find any little scrap of download loving they can get (in a world where iTunes commands 99% of TV downloads…) Hulu, NBC.com, NetFlix, (Amazon?), and now SanDisk…

Boy, when NBC wakes up for this drunken bender and looks at the wretched assortment of partners lying, vomit-ously, beside them, won’t they be embarrassed? (Enough to give us back our iTunes Galactica, Office, and Heroes downloads?)

NBC Universal shacks up with SanDisk, video content now on Fanfare - Engadget

NBC might have removed its content from iTunes, but the company is still determined to sell media online, and it’s announced a partnership with SanDisk to deliver shows on the Fanfare service. Starting in January, the “beta” portal will offer all the usual NBC suspects like The Office, Heroes, and 30 Rock, as well as shows from USA, SciFi and Bravo. As you’d expect, content will be hardcore DRMed to SanDisk’s TakeTV players, which is disappointing, but NBC and SanDisk have said they’ll collaborate on new “consumer content acquisition models,” whatever those might be. All in all, it’s a pretty big win for SanDisk, but it still seems like NBC is still looking over its shoulder to see if Apple’s watching — the press release mentions flexible pricing and packaging rather directly. It’s okay, guys — everyone needs a rebound.

Many years later and much content lesser, and we step-children to the North (American) finally get some iTunes TV download love. Or do we? What exactly do Canadian TV producers offer aside from poor lighting? (I kid — kinda — because I love (to get better shows!)).

CTV and Global mostly show US TV during prime time, and we all know NBC productions are now gone. So it will be very interesting to see what does show up, aside from old Degrassi, DaVinci’s Inquest, and Little Hobo eps… (Red Green?)

(Note to networks: when people have proven stupid enough to pay $2 for stuff they get for free, you make as much content available as possible. It’s called volume. Have you head of it?)

TV to make its debut on iTunes Canada this week

But anxious Canadians wont have to wait much longer. As 2007 winds to a close, Apple plans to give an early Christmas gift to our Canadian friends in the form of a few TV shows being added to the iTunes Store. The company plans to begin adding shows quietly to the store as early as tomorrow Tuesday afternoon or evening, with an official launch expected for Wednesday if things go smoothly, our sources tell us. Of course, with all things iTunes and Apple, these exact days can easily get pushed, but the shows are expected to make their debut at most within the next couple of weeks. 

Brilliant.

Best. TV. News. Eva.

Eliza Dushku Lures Joss Whedon Back to TV - Ausiello Report | TVGuide.com

Short of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion movie, this is just about the best news you could ask for: Eliza Dushku and Joss Whedon are reteaming for a new series Told ya it would be worth tearing yourself away from the candy corn to drop by The Ausiello Report. Here are the five things you have to know about the show, and I mean now:

1. It’s a one-hour drama produced by 20th Century Fox to air on Fox. The first of the seven episodes to which the network has committed could premiere as early as spring.
2. It’s called Dollhouse because that’s the nickname of the high-tech lab where a group of human chalkboards are kept between assignments.
3. Human chalkboards?! Yes! What else would you call characters like Dushku’s Echo who can be given new memories, skills and even personalities, then stripped of them just as quickly, leaving them virtual children.
4. Whedon is the creator, head writer and executive producer, and perhaps in part because Dushku convinced him to do the show, she’s getting a producer credit. (Fellow Buffyverse alum Tim Minear is also on board.)
5. I just got off the phone with both of them!