Tower’s indie podcasts
p2p news / p2pnet: "Opinions about digital music and file-sharing within the independent music community range across the spectrum, it’s seen as a terrifying plague by some and as a great new promotional vehicle by others."
So says Independent Online Distribution Alliance which, thanks to the ’screw-you’ attitudes of the Big Four record labels, has fixed up an interesting deal with Britain’s Tower Records to offer free indie podcasts.
"Users won’t be able to snag music from the best-known names in music, because none of the major music companies, like Vivendi Universal’s Universal Music Group or Warner Music Group, are letting their stuff be used on the service," says Forbes.
"So far, the major labels have been unwilling to let their music be distributed on podcasts, which don’t have any kind of digital-rights management scheme that prevents users from redistributing the files."
But Tower hopes to, "generate revenue from the podcasts by selling ads on the most popular ones," says the story.
"Any money generated, the company says, will be split up among a large group that includes the user who created the podcast, the artist, the label and the publishers who created or own the music, as well as Tower itself."
Tower appears to be the first company that promises to cut in both artists and consumers on any revenue the service generates, but its scheme probably won’t do much to help reverse the chain’s declining fortunes, says Forbes, pointing out, "Tower at one point generated more than $1 billion per year in sales, but the company went into bankruptcy in 2004. It has since reemerged but is now on the auction block, according to a Billboard report. Tower officials declined to comment on any sale discussions."
Apple’s iTunes offers a directory of podcasts, but doesn’t support the creation of the podcasts or offer a database of songs for podcasters to use, adds the story.
Also See:
Forbes – Take My Music, Please, March 3, 2006
