Apple is at it again — but this time it’s taking on the cable companies.
The iPod purveyor wants TV networks to get on board with an all-you-can eat iTunes service that would let subscribers download unlimited television shows for around $30 a month.
Apple has been pitching the idea to cable and broadcast networks for months, but sources familiar with the talks said they are still at an early phase and nothing is imminent.
An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
iTunes users can already buy individual movies and episodes of shows, but the monthly subscription-fee strategy takes square aim at cable companies, because subscribers wouldn’t need them to deliver their favorite programs in bulk.
The news was first reported on Media Memo, a blog that is part of Dow Jones (News Corp. owns Dow Jones and The Post.)
An industry source familiar with Apple’s plans said the company is pitching a revenue-sharing structure based on “show usage.” In other words, Apple would pay networks more for shows that were very popular and less for shows that had fewer viewers.
The model might make sense for some, but network sources said it could hurt programming development, because big hits would make money but niche shows with smaller audiences would be left to languish.
“The math doesn’t work,” one source said. “It makes the hits more revenue but there is no way to subsidize your losses.”
The idea sounds promising and would build on Apple’s success in the music business, but it faces many obstacles — including the long-standing and lucrative relationship between cable networks and cable operators.
Cable companies such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision pay billions to the cable networks to make their programming available to subscribers.
“The first and foremost issue is violating the relationship with the cable operators,” said one cable network source. “It jeopardizes a huge revenue stream.”
Traditionally, cable companies haven’t paid the major broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox — for their programming. But the broadcasters are now pushing the cable companies to start paying them fees to carry their stations.
Apple would be going up against other online TV initiatives, including the Web site Hulu; TV Everywhere, a service from Comcast and Time Warner that will allow cable subscribers to also watch their shows online; and Netflix, which has deals to stream TV shows through video game consoles and other devices. holly.sanders@nypost.com