Movies & TV in Canadian iTunes?

Question

I live in Canada, and apparently the Canadian iTunes doesn't sell movies or TV show episodes.
Is Apple planning on adding these for Canadian customers? If so, when? If not, why not? Canadians watch movies and TV too!
I also just bought a new iPod Nano with video, and I'd like to be able to watch more on it than just some 5-minute podcasts.
Any info is appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

My fellow Canadian,
It's got to do with the business part of the entertainment business.
The short answer is that Apple hasn't negotiated an agreement to sell television shows with the Canadian rights-holders ... whosoever they might be.
Because copyrights "are national and therefore specific rights are tied to national laws and the interpretations of national courts" (This Business of Music (10th Edition) by M. William Krasilovsky and Sydney Shemel), the rights to sell movies, television shows or what have you have to be negotiated on a country by country basis with the rights-holders ... or possibly those to whom the rights have been licensed.
That's the main reason why different countries have separate iTunes Stores.
As a matter of historical interest, some of the oldtimers here at the Discussions can tell you about a time when, get this, there was a US iTS but no Canadian Store. That's right, we couldn't even buy a lousy song in the true North, strong and free.
But once a deal was made between Apple and the record companies who controlled Canadian territory, the iTunes Store opened in Canada.
Similarly, once Apple reaches a deal with the tv/movie people for Canadian rights, you can expect to find those products for sale at your favorite on-line record store.
As for when that might happen, only time will tell but you might want to submit the form on this Apple Support page and contact the entertainment producers in question to let them know what you'd like to buy.
Who knows, it just might encourage the parties to reach an agreement.