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.
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
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.
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
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
The San Francisco Chronicle (R.I.P. CDs) argues that there’s no reason to buy another compact disc ever again now that we have iPods, satellite and digital radio and the Net. MP3 blogs like The Hype Machine and Largehearted Boy offer daily links to free music available online.Online radio stations are “becoming a safe haven for anyone who just wants to hear some good music.” With subscription digital music services like
[MacUser]: Apple is facing legal action of the alleged breach of two patents in its iPod, iTunes and Mac products. Illinois-based Premier claims that the Apple products violate patents which describe a system for creating lists of audio works – in other words playlists. Premier is seeking an injunction and damages, while Apple doesn’t comment on legal disputes.
According to The Register an Xtn Data study suggests that iTunes, at 54%, has the biggest digital music market share in the UK, while Napster has 10%, Wippit 8%, MyCokeMusic 6%, MSN 5%, Virgin Digital 3%, Tesco 2%, Woolworths 2% and HMV Digital 1%. However, the figures are not based on sales or subscription figures, but on a poll of 1,000 consumers about awareness of the brands themselves. The study
Really? You don#039t say. Copy-protected CDs are turning music fans off record buying say retailers in the US. Thus retailers themselves are starting to consider throwing out DRM#039d CDs. Great news for fans – bad news for firms like Sony, who are still reeling from the Rootkit debacle. Today they are trying to exchange Rootkit CDs and provides free MP3 downloads. But the horse has long bolted on this scandal,
Guess what? 50 individuals and companies who illegally uploaded music tracks from the web will be hit with legal action. For more news see: Fresh crackdown on illegal music filesharers – Ireland Online: addict3d.orgFresh crackdown on illegal music filesharers IRMA announces further crackdown on illegal downloads Irish file-swappers face more legal action New legal action planned for filesharers