Advertisers are concerned about revenue now that Apple is offering commercial free television shows for US$1.99 per download. Most advertisers still rely on the traditional model where viewers watch a show when it airs, along with all of the commercials.

Digital media players, like the iPod and TiVo, let users watch programming when they want, and more importantly, skip through the commercials. The biggest concern, according to a Reuters article, is how to keep brand messages in front of consumers now that portable media players are catching on.

Although other portable media players are already on the market, advertisers see the video capable iPod as the device that will push TV on-the-go into the main stream. Since the programming is commercial free, advertisers will have to rely on product placement, or possibly some other form of marketing.

The value of placing commercials in programs is in question, too. Television audiences are slipping, and some programs are already available the day after they air, commercial free, on the iTunes Music Store.

Apple isn't allowing any commercials in the programming that's available for the iPod, but some advertisers would like to add short commercials to the beginning of downloaded shows. Since that's a potentially lucrative market, it remains to be seen if Apple will stick to its guns.

Not everyone, however, sees the future of commercial advertising as so bleak. Some analysts are speculating that iPod programming will draw new viewers to broadcast television, or at least increase the number of viewers exposed to product placement.

The new iPods are just now making it into consumer's hands, and television programming at the iTunes Music Store is still slim, so we'll have to wait and see if advertisers concerns are legitimate.