Yahoo Tunes: could be …
Yahoo may be joining the corporate music brigade – not that it has a lot of choice given that major companies with and without an involvement in the music industry are following each other like lemmings to open online music ’stores’.
“According to knowledgeable sources, Yahoo bought music software developer Mediacode in December to help create a digital jukebox and media player – the key components in many music download services,” says a CNET News report here.
“The Mediacode team includes two founding members of Nullsoft, which created the popular Winamp music player and is now owned by AOL.”
Jumping into music downloads would be a switch from Yahoo’s past music strategy, which has focused on streaming audio and video through Launch, a subsidiary it bought for $12 million in 2001, the story states, going on:
“In addition, Yahoo also has begun kicking the tires of online music services as it rethinks its strategy, which hinges on streaming media, not downloads. For example, Yahoo has held discussions with Musicmatch, one of the largest Internet music services, in what could be a prelude to acquisition talks, according to sources familiar with the meetings.
“Sources characterized the discussions as preliminary and said Yahoo has not yet made any offer. They added that Yahoo meets with companies often to discuss possible deals and has received inquiries in recent months from a handful of Web music services, including BuyMusic.com and Napster owner Roxio.”
But, “We do not seek to comment or speculate on market rumors,” CNET quotes Yahoo spokeswoman Charlene English as saying, apparently, Napster II and BuyMusic also declined to comment and Musicmatch spokeswoman Jennifer Roberts would only remark, “We talk to lots of companies, but we’re just focused on running our business.”
Enuff said.
