08/10/07 - Universal Takes On ITunes, Ditches Copyright Protection

J-Banks · 08-10-2007, 04:41 PM

Universal Takes On ITunes, Ditches Copyright Protection
Friday - August 10, 2007

Beginning this month, Universal Music Group (UMG) will test market thousands of tracks free of digital rights management software (DRM) - a technology used to restrict the usage of digital media.

According to the New York Post, the industry's largest label -- UMG, which composes of Def Jam, Interscope, and Motown Records, among others -- plans to announce the move today (August 10). Testing will begin this month and continue throughout January 2008.

Universal hopes this will give them further insight into the music industry's current digital marketplace; testing song price sensitivity, consumer demand, and the effect, if any, on piracy.

EMI has been distributing tracks without DRM via their deal with Apple since May 30, however Universal has not permanently committed to making DRM-free songs. Universal's testing will cut Apple's iTunes store out of the test marketing.

UMG's move to sidestep iTunes follows terse contact renegotiations with Apple last month, which concluded with Universal opting not to sign a long-term rights deal.

Retailers enlisted for UMG's test marketing include Amazon.com, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Google, Real Networks' Rhapsody, Transworld, Passalong Networks and PureTracks - a list that signals iTunes may be losing ground with record labels.

Previously, iTunes' music store dominated mp3 sales because tracks purchased from other retailers were not compatible with the iPod, however sources say the move to DRM-free tracks may change that since they can be played on any mp3 player.

While EMI's DRM-free tracks are recorded at a higher sound quality and sell for $1.29, the songs selected for the Universal test will likely cost 99 cents, the same price that iTunes charges.

EMI has not released any performance results for their DRM-free music, but in June, Lauren Berkowitz, a senior vice president at EMI, said initial results were "good."

Berkowitz said early results indicated songs without copy protection may boost revenue from digital albums and individual songs, and pointed to increased sales of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of Moon since it became available in DRM-free form.

Source-sohh

Zhiwai · 08-10-2007, 05:21 PM

Props on this

MC B STREETZ · 08-10-2007, 10:02 PM

okay......

Think Muzik · 08-11-2007, 04:05 AM

props....just as long as they staying with itunes

Drizzy · 08-11-2007, 06:53 AM

okay coool.......

GMNRecordsCT3 · 08-11-2007, 09:34 AM

props............

Cuda_Bang_88 · 08-11-2007, 04:18 PM

props on this

lol @ paying for music

Dope Da Damaja · 08-12-2007, 03:18 PM

propzzzzzzzzzzz

all_Eyez · 09-14-2007, 12:04 PM

propzzzz man

08-10-2007, 04:41 PM	#1
J-Banks Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 21,015 Repped: 5,294 Repped 53,425 Times in 7,839 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Neg Reps: 53 Neg Repped at 93 Times in 86 Posts	08/10/07 - Universal Takes On ITunes, Ditches Copyright Protection 08/10/07 - Universal Takes On ITunes, Ditches Copyright Protection Universal Takes On ITunes, Ditches Copyright Protection Friday - August 10, 2007 Beginning this month, Universal Music Group (UMG) will test market thousands of tracks free of digital rights management software (DRM) - a technology used to restrict the usage of digital media. According to the New York Post, the industry's largest label -- UMG, which composes of Def Jam, Interscope, and Motown Records, among others -- plans to announce the move today (August 10). Testing will begin this month and continue throughout January 2008. Universal hopes this will give them further insight into the music industry's current digital marketplace; testing song price sensitivity, consumer demand, and the effect, if any, on piracy. EMI has been distributing tracks without DRM via their deal with Apple since May 30, however Universal has not permanently committed to making DRM-free songs. Universal's testing will cut Apple's iTunes store out of the test marketing. UMG's move to sidestep iTunes follows terse contact renegotiations with Apple last month, which concluded with Universal opting not to sign a long-term rights deal. Retailers enlisted for UMG's test marketing include Amazon.com, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Google, Real Networks' Rhapsody, Transworld, Passalong Networks and PureTracks - a list that signals iTunes may be losing ground with record labels. Previously, iTunes' music store dominated mp3 sales because tracks purchased from other retailers were not compatible with the iPod, however sources say the move to DRM-free tracks may change that since they can be played on any mp3 player. While EMI's DRM-free tracks are recorded at a higher sound quality and sell for $1.29, the songs selected for the Universal test will likely cost 99 cents, the same price that iTunes charges. EMI has not released any performance results for their DRM-free music, but in June, Lauren Berkowitz, a senior vice president at EMI, said initial results were "good." Berkowitz said early results indicated songs without copy protection may boost revenue from digital albums and individual songs, and pointed to increased sales of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of Moon since it became available in DRM-free form. Source-sohh __________________ JBanksblog.com - check it out __________________

08-10-2007, 10:02 PM	#3
MC B STREETZ YAYO'S ADVOCATE/HYPE MAN Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FIND ME IN YA CRIB WIT DA NINA WHERE DA MONEY AT Posts: 18,199 Repped: 3,566 Repped 21,972 Times in 2,200 Posts Neg Reps: 58 Neg Repped at 51 Times in 45 Posts	okay...... __________________ "I'M A LOUDMOUTH NIGGA BUT MY RUGER SILENT" -TONY YAYO A.K.A TALK OF NEW YORK "ALL YAYO ENEMYS ARE ALL OF MY ENEMYS" - MC B STREETZ A.K.A YAYO'S NINJA

08-11-2007, 09:34 AM	#6
GMNRecordsCT3 Macaroni wit the Cheeesse Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wash Heights, NYC Posts: 17,607 Repped: 6,779 Repped 2,309 Times in 618 Posts Neg Reps: 202 Neg Repped at 50 Times in 40 Posts	props............ __________________ myspace.com/bummydavis - soundclick.com/gmnproductions "The name on my car insurance is YOUR FUKIN FAULT!!"

08-11-2007, 04:18 PM	#7
Cuda_Bang_88 On That Illmatic Shit Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: VA all day Posts: 1,598 Repped: 642 Repped 355 Times in 123 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 3 Times in 2 Posts	props on this lol @ paying for music __________________

08-12-2007, 03:18 PM	#8
Dope Da Damaja ! OMG ! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: <3 Posts: 908 Repped: 132 Repped 274 Times in 87 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 1 Time in 1 Post	propzzzzzzzzzzz __________________

08-10-2007, 05:21 PM	#2
Zhiwai G_unit_soldier_Chang Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 9,469 Repped: 15 Repped 49 Times in 8 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Props on this

08-11-2007, 04:05 AM	#4
Think Muzik Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: CANADA Posts: 909 Repped: 1 Repped 16 Times in 5 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	props....just as long as they staying with itunes

08-11-2007, 06:53 AM	#5
Drizzy aKa dRiZz Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: UK Posts: 3,844 Repped: 609 Repped 1,674 Times in 252 Posts Neg Reps: 1 Neg Repped at 7 Times in 5 Posts	okay coool.......

09-14-2007, 12:04 PM	#9
all_Eyez Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 507 Repped: 15 Repped 0 Times in 0 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	propzzzz man

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