January 4 -- MP3.com
announced the debut of its Music InterOperating System (IOS).
The system is designed to connect different aspects of the music
industry and its purpose is to allow the music business to "interoperate
in ways previously unavailable by connecting retailers, labels,
music players, and hardware and software tools."
The driving force behind Music
IOS is the new MP3.com Developers Network (MP3DN). MP3.com calls
MP3DN "a resource for developers of next-generation products
and services designed to enable consumer access to personal music
collections from a variety of web sites or web-enabled devices."
Through MP3DN program, members can qualify to participate in
web-based marketing opportunities to connect their products to
MP3.com's customers.
Music IOS also takes advantage
of the new Beam-it software developers kit (SDK). The Beam-it
SDK is designed to let developers integrate the company's Beam-it
service into their software, device, or web site.
January 8 -- MP3.com
has filed comments with the U.S. Copyright Office supporting
an RIAA request that the office conduct an inquiry regarding
the application of the Copyright Act to the delivery of music
over the Internet.
In a press release, MP3.com
stated that their submission to the Copyright Office reflects
the company's concern that current copyright law does not clearly
or adequately address the interest of consumers in receiving
music transmissions via the Internet.
MP3.com is asking the office
to expand "the scope of the proceeding requested by the
RIAA." Particularly, MP3.com's comments urge the Copyright
Office to think about whether or not Internet services that allow
consumers to enjoy online performances of the CDs they have purchased
are distinguishable from other music streaming and download services
that may be liable for copyright royalty payments under current
law.
"Current copyright laws
and regulations are simply incapable of dealing with new technologies
and the dynamic innovations being spawned by the new economy
and its consumers. We must arrive at answers and solutions that
accommodate the spectacular growth in technology and the products
and services it generates. And, we must do it in a comprehensive
way that protects and preserves fair competition and fair opportunities
for the new economy entrepreneurs who have generated so much
prosperity for millions of Americans," said Robin Richards,
MP3.com's president and chief operating officer.
March 7 -- Independent
label TVT Records (home to Nine Inch Nails) recently came out
victorious with its legal win against MP3.com. U.S. District
Judge Jed S. Rakoff granted TVT a partial summary judgment, affirming
the label's musical copyrights were willfully infringed by MP3's
digital music locker service, My.MP3.com. The judge added that MP3.com cannot be held liable
for statutory damages on TVT copyrights that were not registered
with the U.S. Copyright Office until after they were used on
My.MP3.
March 8 -- EMusic
files a copyright infringement suit against Napster accusing
it of unfair business practices. EMusic
bills itself as "the premier source for legitimate MP3s"
and pays artists for each music download off its subscription-based
web site. EMusic is accusing Napster of unfair competition because
Napster's business is based upon illegitimate use of copyrighted
material.
March 12 -- It
appears that T666 and hundreds of other bands on MP3.com have
been manipulating the system to increase their publicity and
royalties, automatically loading songs through high-traffic sites.
Some types of sites get millions of visitors a day, for example
warez sites, and it is not hard to automatically load songs from
MP3.com when links on the site are clicked. This increases the
clickthroughs and in turn royalties for that particular artist,
which sadly is not an uncommon thing for some bands to do.
April 9 -- Recent
developments in MP3.com's ongoing troubled court cases have a
judge ordering the music mega-site to pay $300,000 in damages
to an independent record label for copyright infringement. Privately
owned Tee Vee Toons Records claimed that MP3.com's Instant Listening
service violated TVT copyrights by making TVT songs available
to Net surfers for listening online.
MP3.com's Greg Wilfahrt said
TVT had been asking for over $8 million in damages to begin with,
and the $300,000 award showed the jury was unconvinced by TVT's
argument.
April 9 -- Jurors
who ordered the MP3.com site to pay $300,000 to Tee Vee Toons
Records have reevaluated their math and discovered what they
really meant was $3 million.
May 20 -- Vivendi
Universal has offered to acquire mp3.com for $5 a share of stock,
roughly $372 million in cash and stock.
Vivendi Universal stated that
they aim to create multiple revenue streams to enhance Vivendi
Universal's current online strategy, but will allow MP3.com to
remain a "Independent Distributor of Music Content for All
Record Labels and Independent Artists".
Michael Robertson, current
CEO of MP3.com will transition to a role with Vivendi Universal
as a special adviser to Jean-Marie Messier, specifically advising
on the future of Vivendi Universal's digital distribution.
"The MP3.com strategic
acquisition is a big step forward for Vivendi Universal's priority
to develop and implement an aggressive, legitimate and attractive
offering of our content to consumers. MP3.com will be a great
asset to Vivendi Universal in meeting our goal of becoming the
leading online Music Service Provider. Our first step toward
leadership in digital distribution was the creation of Duet with
Sony Music and distribution agreement with Yahoo!. With MP3.com's
proven technologies and team, we'll have the tools and talents
to aid the success of this and other digital content distribution
ventures. Their engineering and digital expertise will be a tremendous
advantage for Vivendi Universal, especially in the digital distribution
of all Vivendi Universal content and the creation of common technology
platforms." - Jean-Marie Messier, chairman and chief executive
officer of Vivendi Universal
"This groundbreaking merger
is a defining moment in the digital music era. It brings together
industry leading technology, brands, distribution and content.
We will continue with our current MP3.com pursuits, but also
work with our new partners to innovate subscription systems and
music offerings that reach a global audience across many devices.
We believe consumers will see the full promise of digital music
come to fruition and that transaction is in the best interest
of our shareholders." Michael Roberson, CEO of MP3.com
