Amazon to offer music downloads?
Amazon looks to be taking on Apple's iTunes by opening its own music download store, with rumours suggesting the service will be DRM-free.
According to The Independent, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been in discussions with the four major labels to persuade them to allow their music to be sold without DRM protection.
US internet radio under threat from new ruling
The US Copyright Royalty Board has rejected an appeal by internet radio broadcasters against a plan to increase royalty fees.
Many US web broadcasters are saying that the royalty hikes, which will be backdated to January 2006, will put them out of business, as well as affecting the diversity of music available online.
Apple and EMI announce DRM-free music downloads
EMI CEO Eric Nicoli and Apple CEO Steve Jobs have announced that music from EMI's back catalogue will soon be available to buy on iTunes without DRM copyright protections.
In a press conference held this afternoon, the pair announced the plans, in response to consumer demands for the ability to transfer music between different devices.
Slacker launches web radio service
A new web radio service called Slacker has launched in beta today. When it unveils its associated music player later this year, it will aim to make internet radio portable and even compete with the mighty iPod.
Slacker has bagged $13.5m (£7m) in funding from Sevin Rosen, Austin Ventures and Mission Ventures, and its team includes Dennis Mudd, who was previously CEO at Musicmatch.
RIAA plots royalty fee hikes
Royalty rates for music played via internet radio services could be set to triple, if the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gets its way.
The US Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has endorsed a plan by the RIAA to retroactively raise the fees Internet radio broadcasters must pay to stream music.
Podvertising to grow despite few listeners
In-podcast advertising is set to grow to over five times its current value by 2011, according to a new report.
An eMarketer study forecast US advertising spend targeted toward podcasts will reach $240m by 2008 and $400m by 2011. That is despite pessimism over the popularity of podcasts amongst audiences.
Podcast suite Odeo goes up for sale
Web-based podcasting application Odeo has been put up for sale, just months after founder Evan Williams led a management buy-out of the project from investors.
Williams wrote: "We've put too much into Odeo to want to see it fade away. And it still has tons of potential. But we're not improving it fast enough."
BT inks on-demand deal with Universal Music
BT has struck a deal with Universal Music Group for the group's music videos to be made available on BT Vision's on demand service.
This follows recent content deals with companies like Sony BMG and Warner Brothers, which have helped BT to build up a catalogue of music, film and TV programming for its new TV service.
Labels may be split on DRM in wake of Jobs memo
Music industry representatives have thumbed their noses at Apple CEO Steve Jobs' call this week for DRM to be dropped from digital downloads.Referring to Jobs' suggestion of licensing Apple's FairPlay DRM technology far and wide, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) CEO Mitch Bainwol tol the AP: "We have no doubt that a technology company as sophisticated and smart as Apple could work with the music community to make that happen."
Virgin Media launches, response mixed
Virgin Media was today unveiled as the new name for ntl and Telewest, with the new entity aiming to shake up UK consumer telephony, entertainment and communications provision with a quad-play offering.The cable company last year completed the £962m acquisition of Virgin Mobile, making Richard Branson a 10.7% shareholder in the firm, which celebrated today by firing a volley of press releases.
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Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
