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Apple: iTunes for Windows Gets 1 Million Downloads; 1 Million Songs Sold

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:56am.
Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple announced on Monday that, since launching a Windows version of its iTunes software and Music Store last Thursday, the software has been downloaded over one million times, and the download store has sold over one million songs. "iTunes users have purchased over one million songs in the first three and a half days since our launch last Thursday, which compares with one million songs in the first seven days when we introduced the original iTunes for Mac users last April," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "We're off to a great start, and our competition isn't even out of the starting gates yet." Apple said that its iTunes Store has now sold over 14 million songs total since its launch in April.
tags: Downloads | Apple | iTunes | Musics |

Court Rules Local Radio Stations Must Pay to Stream Songs Online

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:55am.
Philadelphia -- The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia has upheld a lower court's finding that local radio stations that stream music over the Internet are subject to copyright fees payable to record companies and performing artists. The broadcast radio stations had argued that since they already pay over $300 million in annual fees to performing rights organizations such as ASCAP and BMI for the rights to play songs on traditional radio, those payments should also cover the use of the songs on the stations' Internet simulcasts. "NAB disagrees with the court opinion, which we believe serves to stifle efforts by hometown radio stations to better serve listeners. We will be exploring all of our legal and legislative options to overturn this decision, which we believe misinterprets the intent of Congress," said Dennis Wharton, senior vice president of corporate communications for the National Association of Broadcasters.
tags: Internet | Law | Radio | Musics |

U.K. Set to Adopt Controversial Copyright Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:54am.
London -- According to industry experts, the U.K. is expected to adopt a controversial EU copyright law -- designed to curb music, film and software piracy -- some time later this month. The law, deemed the EU Copyright Directive, is in many ways similar to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the U.S. Several consumer advocacy groups on both sides of the Atlantic have opposed both laws, claiming that the directives go too far and infringe on consumer freedom. The music industry, however, claim just the opposite, arguing that the laws are toothless and too weak to stop piracy.
tags: U.K | Controversial | Copyright Law |

Movielink, Terra Lycos Partner on Co-Branded Version of VOD Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:53am.
Santa Monica, Calif. -- Movielink, an Internet video-on-demand (VOD) joint venture between a number of Hollywood movie studios, announced on Monday that it has partnered with global Internet portal Terra Lycos to launch a co-branded version of the service. Santa Monica, Calif.-based Movielink said the service will be available only to U.S. Lycos users. Movielink has created similar co-branded versions of its service with Time Warner Cable's Road Runner, Hollywood.com and The Feed Room.
tags: Deals | VOD | Movielink | Co-branded | Terra Lycos |

Yahoo's Overture Extends Search Deal with Microsoft in the U.S., U.K.

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:52am.
Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Overture Services, a provider of commercial search services recently acquired by Sunnyvale-based Yahoo, said on Friday that it has extended its search distribution relationship with Microsoft in the U.S. and U.K. through June 2005. Under the terms of the new deal, users of MSN Search in the two countries will receive Overture's paid placement search results. The agreement also allows for the companies to potentially expand into additional countries. Overture's search listings are generated by the company's more than 100,000 advertisers who bid for placement on keywords relevant to their business.
tags: Deals | Microsoft | Yahoo | U.S | U.K. |

French Court Fines Google for Trademark Violation

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 20, 2003 - 3:51am.
Paris -- A French court ruled this week that Google France must pay a 70,000-euro ($81,000) fine after it permitted advertisers to link their text notices with trademarked search names. Two French travel agencies -- Luteciel and Viaticum -- sued Google last December after the company refused to stop the use of the words "bourse des vols" and "bourse des voyages," which translate as "travel market" and "air-flight market," respectively, and for which the agencies had claimed intellectual property rights. Google declined to comment on the case, saying only that it would appeal the decision.
tags: Law | Google | French | Trademark | Violation |