Jimmy Iovine Trying to Make Apple Music ‘A Cultural Point of Reference’

It’s no secret that Apple is looking to move into the television market, but a new interview with Jimmy Iovine, one of the executives in charge of Apple Music, said the company isn’t looking to create a subscription-based video streaming service akin to Netflix.

In a new piece from Variety, Apple Music chief Jimmy Iovine discussed his vision for building Apple’s streaming music service into a blending of “the worlds of Silicon Valley and the entertainment industry.” He shared some passing insights on Apple’s aims for its much-rumored original content strategy and how he believes streaming can be done “right.”

In speaking to Apple’s move into original video content, Iovine made it clear that the company’s plans are focused entirely on material that fits in with and enhances the Apple Music experience in order to “make the music service a cultural point of reference” and that it’s not in any way about competing with Netflix.

Bolstering Apple’s video content is no side project. Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors last month that the company’s fastest growing segment, software and services, is helped by 150 million paid subscriptions, including Apple Music. As the cable media industry begins “to break down,” Cook said, original programming, like Dr. Dre’s “Vital Signs,” will become more important for Apple.

“We’re trying to make the music service a cultural point of reference, and that’s why we’re making video,” Iovine said. “We’re making video for our Apple Music customers and our future customers.”

“To me it’s all one thing,” Iovine continues. “It’s Apple Music, and it happens to have video and audio. … It has nothing to do with what Netflix is doing.”

His comments came after he was asked about Apple’s much-talked about push into original content for television and movies, as reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month.