TIVO, RHAPSODY JOIN FORCES

TiVo will now integrate RealNetworks’ Rhapsody subscription music service into its on-demand menu, offering a wide-ranging music selection to subscribers.

The tie-up allows any TiVo subscriber to access the massive Rhapsody collection though a broadband-connected box. The catalog can be navigated through the TiVo remote.

Said TiVo Chief Executive and President Tom Rogers: "By adding music to our portfolio of broadband offerings, TiVo is the only universal entertainment provider in the living room. Our customers can not only navigate through hundreds of TV channels and thousands of movie downloads, they now have access to millions of songs all on their television set."

The move is the latest in an attempt by the likes of Apple and Microsoft to control access to the TV monitor and eventually, hook it up to the Net.

Interested subscribers will be charged a monthly fee of $12.99 for access to Rhapsody’s music libraries. Existing subscribers can access their collections at no extra charge, and RealNetworks is offering a 30-day trial to stimulate uptake.

For Tivo, the Rhapsody add-on is part of a broader media diversification, with the company now offering movie downloads from Amazon, as well as news content from sources like The New York Times and The Onion.