At least one mac rumor site says strong "probably"

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0510oct12d.html

I never really thought too much about this--because I thought about it from the perspective it was all about DVD quality videos. [Which means long download times and huge storage space requirements.]

But I'm thinking...what if they are doing it like podcasts? Like stated in the article.

You keep you video iPod hooked to your Mac and have it download these small web ready quicktime movie/tv show broadcasts and voila--you watch them at your leisure.

So if I wanted to watch an episode of TV I missed, I just grab the video iPod version[complete with commercials of course]from the major networks and I will never miss a show again? Great for my NYC subway commute.

This sounds like it will work.

I started a thread on this very possibility awhile back:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=47752

and I see you posted to it John. Think about how many people use iPods now, how TV ad revenue is down and the fact that many many old-time radio shows were just 15 minutes in length or so.

Think about the possibility of a soap that people could download and watch during their commute in a place like LA or NYC -- that is, programming not that one missed on TV but programming designed for the new form.

Yeah, I'm singing a different tune now that they filled in some of the details.
[I still want the Apple branded H.264 HD-DVD player though.]

This should be also benefit notebook/powerbook owners, as I imagine there will be more video podcasts available to iTunes users to download, so you can just watch them on your notebook if so inclined.

Video iPod announced today and you will be able to buy TV episodes.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=52652

And it'll probably spawn a whole new level of podcasting:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/10/14/spark.podcast.reut/index.html