NBC's 'iTunes' in-show graphics really smart

Sadly, I don't watch much primetime television these days. I get off work too late to really keep up with anything before 10pm, so my viewing is generally late night SportsCenter and Comedy Central until I doze off. But the other night while at an off-site strategy meeting at a steakhouse with colleagues I did notice "Law & Order" featuring a popup graphic touting "Buy this show on iTunes for $1.99". Damn, that's smart. I mean, that's REALLY smart.

The one thing that's puzzled me about the emegence of VOD and integrated TV over the last five months or so has been the TV industry's reluctance to do proper cross-promotion. This is assumedly out of fear that too much liberal endorsement of online content will cannibalize that being shown on-air. But hats off to NBC...you got a leg up on everyone else for this one.