Here is the bottom line: NBC’s SEASON suffered last year. That is at least partly attributed to not being on iTunes. And while profits for Studios from iTunes are not CURRENTLY anything that warrants a second glance, fast forward a few years when 50 million or more Americans have iPhones or iPod touches… This landscape is changing fast, and NBC knows it.

Let’s recap last year, shall we? Jeff Zucker made a complete IDIOT of himself when he threatened (unfortunately for NBC, very publicly) to remove all NBC content from iTunes by the end of the year. Apple, instead of cowering in dismay, did Mr. Zucker one better: They immediately and unceremoniously removed all NBC content post haste (Early Sept. 07).

Here is the word on the street: Apple made the decision to completely ban NBC content from the iTunes store for a period of exactly one year. That is why even though Apple and NBC appeared to “make nice” in January, you haven’t seen NBC content back on iTunes until now (Early Sept. 08).

Apple approached this issue in this way in order to send a message to the other networks that might be contemplating doing the same. “You’re free to leave whenever you want, but chose wisely, because it isn’t so easy to come back once you decide you want back on the gravy train.”

Apple’s financial reports never registered even the slightest blip from a missing NBC over the last 12 months. In fact, their growth has been unprecedented and their profits have been Apple’s largest in history.

NBC made a massive miscalculation. End of story.

I bought season passes for all three last fall, and it looks like it’s off to bittorrent this fall.