After documentaries became available on the iTunes Music store, it became clear to everyone that Apple wanted to expand the content to include everything, so in that light today's announcement comes as no surprise.

NBC has decided to offer some of its news and documentary offering via Apple's solution, for enjoyment on your computer, iPod or TV. The move is being marketed as the first offering of news video programming, which it is indeed.

The programs we look forward to come from NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC and will include both archival programming as well as content produced for iTunes, all of which will go for the usual price of $1.99 a pop.

It seems like part of the motivation for bringing this content forward was the success NBC has been seeing with news podcasts, also supplied via iTunes, which have been averaging 500,000 customers per month, a figure that seems to be trending up.


The list of the shows available so far is next, but NBC says that more will be added on a regular basis, so this list is by no means final.

TOM BROKAW REPORTS
The Greatest Generation
D-Day: A Leap into History
The Greatest Generation Speaks
The Long War -- a look at the global war on terror
Inside the Real West Wing
Sudden Impact: Drunk Driving

MEET THE PRESIDENTS
(complete episodes of Meet the Press, with introductions by Tim Russert) John F. Kennedy: January 3, 1960 Lyndon Johnson: October 9, 1960 Richard Nixon: April 10, 1988 Gerald Ford: November 9, 1975 Jimmy Carter: January 20, 1980 Ronald Reagan: January 9, 1966

DATELINE NBC: CRIME & PUNISHMENT
Vegas Homicide: Death in the Desert
Vegas Homicide: A Killer's Confession
Inside Evil: Jeffrey Dahmer
Inside Evil: Son of Sam

MSNBC: CAUGHT ON TAPE
Tattoos: Skin Deep
Cops Caught on Tape
Extreme Fighting

MSNBC: LOCKUP
Inside San Quentin
Return to Rikers
Inside Riverbend

CNBC SPECIALS
The Age of Wal-Mart
Mad Money: Know Thyself
Mad Money: Making Moves
Mad Money: Road Rules