TECH ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
HOW DO YOU SAY "CEASE AND DESIST" IN SPANISH?|
Troubled Internet Service Provider MP3.com is turning its attention to the Euro market, where it plans to open Web sites in such languages as German, French and Spanish. MP3.com CEO michael robertson',390,400);">michael robertson',390,400);">Michael Robertson said Monday his techco would begin foreign-language services within a month. The new European sites will launch without My.MP3.com, the company's service that was found guilty of copyright infringement in the States, which may carry a penalty that could reach as high as $250 million. "It doesn't matter what language they use," an adversary said. "My.MP3.com es muy malo y estupido."
LISTEN…TO WHAT THE FLOWER PEOPLE SAY
Online music directory Listen.com has agreed to buy WiredPlanet, a provider of customizable streaming MP3 stations. Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, a source familiar with the transaction said WiredPlanet's asking price was in the range of $1-$1.5 million. WiredPlanet provides Web sites, record labels and other content owners with tools that allow them to program their own stations. Listen.com launched last year as a sort of Yahoo! for music, a consumer directory of digital downloads available on the Web. With the acquisition of WiredPlanet, Listen.com plans to add streaming audio to its existing syndication offerings. "This is just another online deal that those not involved really don'tgive a hootabout," an insider said.
DOTCOMS DROPPING LIKE FLIES
Shuffling and shutting down at a trio of netcos has left a legion of Web geeks on the streets. Pseudo Programs shut its doors 9/18, leaving all 170 employees jobless. The company, which launched in 1994 as one of the first Internet content programming studios in New York, has had a history of financial hardships. The company put itself up for sale weeks ago and is continuing its search for financing or a buyer. Sixty employees had already been let go during restructuring earlier this summer. Reorganization at digital music distributor Supertracks has resulted in the layoff of 40 employees. Eighty employees remain, while Supertracks' engineering department remains intact. Meanwhile, Xenote.com and all user accounts will be disabled on or before Sept. 22. Current economic conditions are such that Xenote.com has been unable to secure funding and must therefore cease operations, an insider said. Reports that HITS' resident online otter Simon Glickman's bid of $5 to save the company wererejected could not be confirmed. For more information, see www.fuckedcompany.com.
BLOCK HEADS TO RIAA
The RIAA, embroiled in copyright battles with Napster and other online music ventures, has hired a top executive from a company that specializes in downloadable CDs. Bruce "New Kid On The" Block, formerly chief technology officer for Musicmaker.com, has been named Senior VP of Technology for the RIAA. He will assist with "protecting the musical property rights of artists, songwriters, publishers and labels from unauthorized use of their materials," the trade group said. Block "is highly respected in the fields of technology and new media, and we are lucky to have someone with his expertise on our side," said RIAA chieftain Hilary "Days Of Wine And" Rosen. "Besides, he realized he couldn't beat us, so he joined us."
A BID FOR THE "KID"
Radiohead's entire new album, "Kid A," is available to buy on eBay. The group's U.S. record label Capitol is auctioning a Sony VAIO Music Clip to hear the album in an effort to raise money for The Milarepa Fund, a charity "dedicated to the promotion of universal compassion and non-violence." The auction for the clip will run until Sept. 21, when the highest bidder will receive the album, prior to its worldwide release Oct. 3. At presstime, bids for the album had reached as high as $2,000. Hello… the album is already on Napster for free. What's wrong with you people?
BIG BROTHER IS DOWNLOADING
An Oklahoma State University student could face criminal charges of copyright infringement after police found as many as 1,000 Internet music files on his computer, campus police told Reuters. Police seized the personal computer and a CD recorder from the unidentified student's dorm room after university officials were notified by the RIAA, which is campaigning against the widespread practice of copying and pirating music over the Internet. "My understanding is he was maintaining files of all these songs and making them available to others," said police officer Everett Eaton. A computer forensic specialist has been busy analyzing the computer files. "The computer specialist feels there may be in excess of 1,000 files," Lt. Steve Altman said. "That could cause state felony charges to be filed for copyright infringement. What is scary is he was downloading tracks by Slim Whitman and Wayne Newton. What is even scarier is that he was selling them… and there were buyers."
MY MP-MUTINY
MP3.com shareholders are revolting. A class-action suit has been filed against the beleaguredcompany, claiming company officers have known since its inception that the My.MP3.com service was illegal, and that they refused to admit it, fearing the repercussions to MP3.com's stock price. On 9/14, Millberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach filed a shareholder derivative complaint in San Diego Superior Court, alleging breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, constructive fraud, gross management, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets and poor eating habits. Attorney Jeffrey Krinsk filed a similar suit on behalf of plaintiff Steven Vaus on Sept. 15. The suits will likely be combined in the near future. Said Krinsk: "The basis of the suit wasn't that the negative aspects of a lawsuit were visited upon the defendants. It's that contradictory information was provided at a critical time when shareholders were looking for guidance." A spokesperson for MP3.com said the company will not issue a statement on the shareholder suits, but MP3.com President/COO Robin Richards said in a statement 9/15: "We feel that both complaints are without merit and we intend to contest them vigorously."
