Public Enemy distributes music via mobile

Public Enemy’s New Wireless Order: Public Enemy (which pioneered using MP3s) is getting into wireless. On Nov. 28 the group will make the music from its new album, New Whirl Odor, available through wireless phone networks using distribution technology from privately held m-Qube. “It’s like the Internet in ’98, but with a business plan,” says Walter Leaphart, who manages Public Enemy leader Chuck D.

Today Lefsetz rants about…

Today Lefsetz rants about…how music labels had the media on their side “but, by not coming up with a reasonable alternative to P2P, or authorizing it, and SUING traders, they’ve lost all their good will.” The next email was effectively spam, forwarded from a firm touting for people to call video shows requesting songs. Talk about outsourced pluggers. Next email today (three so far, and counting) was about how he

Universal signs total deal for Elton’s copyrights

Over 250 copyrights are covered by the deal signed today by Universal Music Publishing Group for Elton John’s back catalogue. The worldwide agreements administer the post-1974 publishing interests of Elton John and his collaborator, Bernie Taupin. As UMPG already owns the copyrights of songs written up to 1974, these new agreements put the entire Elton John catalog under one roof.

RIAA email spells trouble for amateur online stations

Streaming radio service Live365 is being scrutinised by the Recording Artist Association of America (RIAA) which is interested in user-generated stations that do not properly comply with various DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) statutes. The RIAA says it will “reserve the right to shut them down or otherwise restrict access” and Live365 has emailed its users with exactly that warning. What this means, of course, is that the glittering new

Podcasting starts to lure advertisers

Is Podcasting turning into a viable media business? Maybe. Podshow this week add 30s shows to its network and plans a major marketing push to lure more podcasters into its fold, broadening the network of shows it can sell to advertisers. Meanwhile Paige Heniger and Gretchen Vogelzang, who’s “Mommycast” is about the joys of motherhood have signed a 12-month sponsorship agreement with Dixie paper products, worth more than $100,000.

Xbox 360 is iPod compatible

Microsoft’s XBox site has published a document that shows how to turn the XBox 360 gaming device into an iPod accessory: “We’re happy to report that the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system works with MP3 music files on Apple iPod portable audio players, right out of the box. Just connect your iPod’s USB cable into any controller port on your Xbox 360 console, then go to the Media

Chinese music firm files 50 piracy lawsuits

It’s interesting that a Chinese company – a part of thew world normally notorious for copyright violation – is suing other chinese firms for just that. The Chinese-based music and video company, Guangdong Meika Music and Video, has filed 50 piracy lawsuits with the courts against companies it claims are producing and selling pirated versions of its goods. The company is demanding defendants stop violating its intellectual property rights and