By Robert Andrews
Tesco is trying to pick up BBC Worldwide, ITV (LSE: ITV) and Fremantle shows for its yet-to-launch TV downloads service. The supermarket giant launched Tesco Digital in June, containing music and games, but the TV & Film section is still vacant. Tesco plans to launch it before Christmas and is talking directly with the broadcasters, at least one of which values the outfit's ability to market and sell just about anything, NMA says. The magazine has a knack for reckoning every new service is "set to rival iTunes" - but if Tesco uses its muscle to discount selected digital products as bulk loss-leaders, as it does in-store, then the likes of the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) platform could find themselves under significant cost pressure. Already, music single downloads on promotion are just £0.57 and albums £5.97, against iTunes' £0.79 per track. One drawback - shoppers can't use their Tesco.com account.
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