After Tuesday's introduction of the Multi-Pass at the iTunes Music Store (iTMS), several news sources have erroneously reported that Apple is joining the ranks of Napster and RealNetworks by launching a subscription-based service. Multi-Pass is actually a pre-paid discount that lets customers purchase a set number of downloadable TV episodes before they are available at the iTMS.

Multi-Pass was launched simultaneously with the addition of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. Users can purchase a Multi-Pass to either show for US$9.99 and receive the next 16 episodes just as if they had purchased them individually, but at a substantial discount off the $31.84 they would cost if purchased one at a time.

Just like any other song, video, or TV show purchased at the iTMS, programs purchased through a Multi-Pass download to your computer and remain playable without requiring you to pay any additional fees.

Unlike the iTMS purchase model, Napster and RealNetworks offer customers a subscription-based model that requires users to pay a monthly fee to continue to listen to their music. Although big label recording companies are pressuring Apple to change the iTMS to a subscription service and charge higher prices, Apple is resisting the move.

Apple sells individual songs at the iTMS for $0.99 each, and videos and TV shows for $1.99 each.