HOW DOES I.B. KNOW
THIS STUFF?

We frequently refer to our own I.B. Bad as an industry insider, and we can back up that claim.

To wit, Apple announced this week that its Worldwide Developers Conference—in which the iTunes/Beats premium service is expected to be unveiled—would begin on June 8. Back on March 16, I.B. whispered to us that the rollout date for the service would be June 8, and we immediately posted that revelation in an item headlined “D-Day, the Eighth of June?”

Then, in his latest column, published and posted last week, I.B. wrote, “[H]as the Daniel Ek-led [Spotify] hired lobbyists on Capitol Hill and in Brussels, headquarters of the EU, in an effort to minimize the threat from Apple? Those in the know say the mission of these lobbyists is to sell regulators that Apple and the majors are colluding against streaming services that, like Spotify, offer an unlimited free tier.”

Yesterday, Politico and other media outlets, including the bible, reported that four lobbying firms had registered Tuesday to lobby on behalf of Spotify on several issues, including competition, licensing and platform neutrality. according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Clearly, our spy has access to secrets. When I.B. speaks, you’d be wise to listen.