Online Video Ads Prove To Be Effective Medium

According to eMarketer's latest research, "Of the 80% of viewers who had watched an online video ad, just over half had taken some sort of action. Nearly a third had checked out a Web site, while 22% had searched for more information, 15% had gone into a store and 12% had actually made a purchase."

European Mobile Data Consumption Snapshot

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, “The use of mobile value added services shows strong if not explosive growth in Europe. In the last 3 months, 50% say they have sent a picture message, 30% say they have browsed web sites from their mobile, 17% have accessed email, 8% have downloaded a music track over the air and 4% have used mobile TV.”

NARM Notes...

I attended the NARM show in Chicago last month and thought some of you would like to read my personal notes and photos of the show. Although “The Windy City” wasn’t as humid as last year’s event in Orlando, I must admit, I did miss the theme-park-like experience of the Gaylord Palms hotel. I also discovered some awesome local beer (Gooseneck Island I think) and some delicious Hawaiian deep dish pizza…

Over Half of American Households Now Subscribe to High-speed Internet

http://www.leichtmanresearch.com/press/060707release.html

 

(Thanks to GigaOM for the tip!)

 

According to latest research conducted by Leichtman Research Group (LRG), 53% of all US households now subscribe to a broadband high-speed Internet service. Also, broadband services now account for about 72% of all home Internet subscriptions – compared to 60% last year.

 

Broadband penetration remains strongly correlated with household income with homes earning over 50k per year - almost twice as likely to have the service.  Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. stated that “LRG forecasts the total number of broadband subscribers will increase by over 40 million over the next five years.”

 

These findings are based on a telephone survey of 1,600 randomly selected households from throughout the United States and are part of a new LRG study, Broadband Access and Service in the Home 2007.

Real Ups The Ante for Video Fair Use

Looks like Real is getting ready to set a new legal precedent for “fair use” of online video...I like the sound of it and hope they aren't forced to retreat!  

 

For an in-depth look at the new player and more of its capabilities, you can check out the official press release here.  And a beta of the new RealPlayer will reportedly be available for the public in June 2007
via a free download from www.realplayer.com.

  - "By floating a "download this video" button next to video seen on thousands of Web sites, RealPlayer makes it one-click simple."

  - "Time-shifting of recorded or downloaded content is a natural next step in the progression of the online video distribution and consumption"

  - "RealPlayer feeds the appetite consumers have for interesting Web video while maintaining a connection with the content source"

 
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070531-new-realplayer-to-rip-youtube-video-streams.html
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/31/the-new-realplayer-ripping-a-youtube-video-near-you/
http://blog.wired.com/business/2007/06/new_realplayer_.html*

Top 11 Reasons NOT to Sign With A Major Record Label

(Thanks to Jerry Del Colliano from INSIDE MUSIC MEDIA for the tip!)

 

“…In a recent letter, Bob Lefsetz did a piece on reasons why not to sign with the major labels.  See if these reasons help you arrive at the conclusion that this business is dead:”

1.     They tell you what to do.
2.     They're only in the disc business.
3.     They don't pay you.
4.     There's no one working there.
5.     They just care SOMETHING hits.
6.     They control physical distribution, not online distribution.
7.     Tour support is a thing of the past.
8.     They only want you once you've proven yourself independently.
9.     MTV is dead.
10.  Terrestrial music radio is dying.
11.   They specialize in saying no.

Amazon to Sell DRM-Free Music

Amazon just announced its plans to launch an online music store filled with mp3 tracks that are compatible with EVERY player on the market in the entire world! Although the store won't launch until later this year, only one of the big record labels has enough vision to make the momentous leap – EMI – which says it will make "millions of songs in the DRM-free MP3 format from more than 12,000 record labels".

CEA Announces Connection Standard for Portable Media Players

The Consumer Electronics Association's Mobile Electronics Committee looks set to shake up the portable media player industry a bit, today announcing a new connection standard for PMPs that'll extend to vehicles in addition to in-home use. While details are somewhat light, the standard (otherwise known as CEA-2017) describes a single connector that'll let you both play and charge a portable media player in conjunction with any in-home or in-vehicle audio/video device sporting the same common connector. From the looks of it, the newly-standardized connector would also seem to be well on its way to acceptance, with more than 100 companies having a hand in its development, which apparently includes a number of automakers and accessory-makers in addition to PMP manufacturers. Not so clear, however, is when we might actually start seeing devices with the connector, although we're guessing that it'll still quite a while before it truly becomes "standard."

Background on Recent Court Decision From ASCAP CEO

From ASCAP’s newsletter….

 

“ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento gives some background information regarding the recent court decision concerning the existence of a performing right in a download. It is important that you as ASCAP members know this background so that speculation and misinformation do not replace facts. Most importantly, the Society wants you to understand that every action ASCAP took with regard to this matter was entirely driven by the goal of protecting your performing rights as a music creator and ensuring that you receive the compensation to which you are legally entitled.”

Read the Court Background Decision Letter.

Ask your Representative to cosponsor the Internet Radio Equality Act!

The Internet Radio Equality Act (HR 2060) has been introduced in Congress by Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA). A simple phone call to your Representative to ask for their support on this Bill will go a long way toward ensuring your right to diversity and choice in web radio. Better yet, please write and fax to show how serious you are. They need to know how much we all care about the niche genres and unique content!

 

Click here for the number of your Representative. Call NOW!
 

 

MPAA Calls For Interoperability

MPAA head, Dan Glickman, speaks about the need for DRM interoperability…One of the most interesting items was the fact that Glickman said publicly that the industry supports "managed copying," a policy that allows users to take films “off a DVD” and watch it on a PC or portable device. That's pretty progressive thinking compared to the RIAA....

"Our goal is a diverse, high-quality, hassle-free consumer experience," he said, "one that makes the most effective case possible not merely for the legitimate consumer marketplace, but its vast superiority (over piracy)."

"My philosophy is that we can make interoperability and DRM work if all parties truly want to make it work," he said. "With this much brainpower at our disposal, it's a question of collective will far more than technological capacity."

Speech

Article

New Online Digital Music Store = [Circuit City + Napster]

Online music retailer Napster Inc. said Friday its teaming up with electronics retail chain Circuit City Stores to launch a new digital music service called Circuit City + Napster, which will offer some exclusive tracks on a weekly basis that are not available to regular Napster users. Unlimited access to the Co-Branded service will still cost $14.95 a month, but new subscribers will receive the first month of access free and five free song downloads (most likely with DRM). Individual song downloads can still be purchased for $.99 cents each. Prepaid download cards will also be available in-store and online in bundles of 15, 25 or 60 tracks. Signup for the service begins April 29.

“At least for now, the new service won't be tied to any specific digital music player sold at Circuit City, said Napster spokeswoman Becky Farina.”

This is all pretty predictable really, but it would be good to know how many co-branded Rhapsody players Sandisk actually sold as a result of their BestBuy deal…

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2985941&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.6.1

http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/20/circuit-city-napster-team-up-for-subscription-based-music-servi/

The Nail In The Coffin For Internet Radio

Click HERE to read the 5 page U.S. Copyright Royalty Board order denying motions for rehearing. This is a sad day indeed and in a nutshell, this is the death of internet radio as we know it….(Apparently, admitting mistakes is hard even for judges J)

The Music Bundle We've All Been Waiting For

http://anywherecd.com/

Michael Robertson has done it again. Apparently, he’s convinced some major labels and artists (i.e. Madonna, Prince, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Bloc Party, The Shins, and thousands more) to offer free mp3’s (encoded at 192kbps) with the purchase of a regular CD. Talk about added value! This is something I was actually pushing for back in 2003, but the dynamics of the industry would not allow it to happen at that time. Amazon was rumored to be working on it, but apparently their talks with the major labels never went anywhere. While I haven’t tried out the new service/store, I can only imagine that the album selection will grow quickly as the word spreads. The strategy is to sell the mp3 as an album and then charge roughly a $3 premium for the CD also….Finally, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, for the music industry to adapt a dying business model that can deliver more of what consumers truly want…..

Is Verizon's Unlimited Data Plan Really Unlimited?

NO!  According to a recent Wired Blog, the small print in the TOS for Verizon's unlimited EVDO Wireless Data Service:  "A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MB’s, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GB’s in a month...Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice."

 

So what does that mean to the average mobile user and traveler?  Basically, you can send email, you can browse the web -  but listening to internet radio, streaming video to a laptop, and downloading large files is not allowed - rendering the service much less useful than advertised with a 5GB maximum.  Therefore, “unlimited usage” is not what it seems….