snapshot 7/18/07

The Jig Is Up! Sony Unveils iPod Docks
http://futuremusic.com/blog/?p=1659
Sony has revealed the ICF-C1iP iPod clock radio and ZS-S2iP iPod boombox, finally surrendering the fantasy that their Walkman portable music players will capture the hearts and imagination of the public.

Andrew Sivori, director of personal audio products in the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics, dished this nugget of wisdom in their press release: “Consumers are treating the iPod as a format, like the compact disc, which is why Sony is now delivering audio products to support it.”


Warner overtakes EMI in recorded market share -data
http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSL1781138320070717
Warner Music Group overtook EMI in 2006 to have the third-largest share of the global recorded music market, while Universal Music maintained its overall dominance, new data shows.

Universal Music Group (UMG) had a share of 25.7 percent in 2006 for physical and digital music markets, slightly up from its share of 25.6 percent in 2005, and ahead of Sony BMG on 21.2 percent. Warner had a market share of 13.8 percent, up from 12.8 in 2005, while EMI, which issued two profit warnings within five weeks earlier this year, dropped to a share of 12.8 percent from 13.6 percent in 2005. The remaining 27.5 percent was held by independent labels.


Top Indie Music Distributor IODA Enters Video and Film Market
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070717005897&newsLang=en
IODA, the global leader in digital distribution, marketing and technology solutions for the independent content industry, today announced the company’s first round of partnerships in music video and film distribution.

Since 2003, IODA has been at the forefront of digital independent music distribution, and this foray into film will follow a similar strategy. Included in this deal is content from a broad range of top-tier indie film production companies, including Heretic Films, whose titles include the award-winning documentary 24 Hours on Craigslist and Starbucking, Greenline Digital’s Confessions of a Burning Man, Lifestyle Media’s catalog of fitness, wellness and children’s content, Cyan Pictures’ sci-fi film Ever Since the World Ended, Crystal Clarity’s rare collection of films from Indian yogi Paramhansa Yogananda, and the much-heralded Ramones doc End of the Century from production company Cugat, Inc.


'Flavor' single claims digital crown
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968763.html?categoryid=19&cs=1&nid=2568
EMI is celebrating a highly successful campaign for the release of "Flavor of Life" by Japanese superstar Utada Hikaru, which is laying claim to being the world's biggest selling digital single with sales of seven million units across all formats. Meanwhile, the top selling digital song in the U.S. to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan, was "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter, which sold just over two million units in 2006, excluding ringtunes.


iPhone may produce “Halo Effect” for mobile video
http://www.last100.com/2007/07/17/iphone-may-produce-halo-effect-for-mobile-video/
It’s here again, the Halo Effect — only this time it isn’t an iPod helping to increase sales of Apple computers. It’s the iPhone possibly affecting the sales of Apple products and introducing mobile video to a larger audience.

Research firm Interpret said Tuesday (press release) that 63 percent of iPhone users have already used the device to watch video, compared with just 28 percent of regular cell phone owners using video-enabled equipment. Fifty-one percent say they’ve also watched a YouTube video on their phone, 46 percent have watched a music video, 34 percent have watched the news, and 32 percent have watched a movie trailer.\

The iPod with video was introduced near the end of 2005, with a slight revision in September 2006. Since then, Apple reports its iTunes Music Store had sold more than 50 million television episodes and 1.3 million feature-length films (January 2007). Apple announced in April that more than 2 million movies have been downloaded, making iTMS the world’s most popular online movie store.


CinemaNow Extends Video Download Service to Xbox 360s
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/movies/cinemanow-extends-video-download-service-to-xbox-360s-279547.php
CinemaNow, the PC movie download and rental store, has updated their Media Manager software to allow rented or purchased movies to be viewed on the Xbox 360. Over 7,000 of them.

Now when you buy or rent one a flick, your Vista or XP machine will be able to see your Xbox 360 as a connected machine (while using their Media Manager). Not only that, there's the Burn-to-DVD option on Vista, which lets you (obviously) burn your movies onto a DVD and watch them on any standard DVD player. Like your Xbox 360, for example.


Disney music label offers new CD format
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070718/tc_nm/disney_musiccds_dc_2;_ylt=AnO3FFZeHXruDLsmRB7G78tkM3wV
Walt Disney Co. music label Hollywood Records is offering a new CD format with extra features to encourage compact-disc purchases in a bid to reverse declining CD sales. Hollywood Records on Wednesday unveiled its new CDVU+ (CD View Plus) format with digital magazine extras, song lyrics, band photos and other extras to boost fan loyalty.

The new format also replaces the traditional CD booklet and plastic jewel The content on a CDVU+ can be downloaded and accessed online and off. The label said the extra content had been produced for the new format rather than using the band's outtakes or widely available material, such as existing music videos.


Indie Record Label For Sale on Craigslist
http://archive.mediaor.com/post/6112852
An unidentified indie record label in midtown Chicago has been posted for sale on Craigslist. The asking price -- $10,000 -- apparently includes existing relationships with national distributors, although no mention is made of what the catalog comprises (I guess that would pretty much give the label's identity away). The ad also asks that "only serious parties" contact the anonymous seller (one assumes that the seller would divulge the name of the label to any serious party before money changes hands):


Warner Music Group Conditionally Exits EMI Bidding
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/071707warner/view
Warner Music Group officially removed itself Tuesday from the bidding for EMI Group Plc, a move that follows a number of flighty overtures. In a tersely worded statement, the company indicated that it "has decided not to make an offer for EMI," though Warner left the door open to a possible bid within the next six months. EMI may become a purchased good within that time period, though the rough-and-tumble M&A terrain could easily produce some surprises. Earlier, Terra Firma Capital Partners reaffirmed an offer of 265 pence per share, a bid that translated into a valuation of £2.4 billion ($4.9 billion) at the time.


Atlantic Records Spins Mobile-Based Artist Trading Cards
http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/071707atlantic/view
Most associate trading cards with an earlier era of baseball, though the concept is now being extended into the music world. Just recently, Atlantic Records brokered a pact with Hook Mobile to spin a mobile-based, artist-focused trading card concept. The idea is being wrapped within a larger, SMS-based program that allows fans to purchase, collect, trade and redeem trading cards for prizes. The first participating artist is heavy-selling T.I., a strong personality that could boost the early-stage concept.

Fans can jump into the action by texting "TI" to shortcode 87233 (TRADE), or by registering online at cards.trapmuzik.com. Atlantic is positioning a total of 45 cards, and using the assets to promote the just-released album, T.I. vs. T.I.P. Bigger collectors are eligible for prizes, including a multimedia entertainment system or a phone call from T.I. himself. Additionally, instant-win cards are redeemable for artist posters and t-shirts. The initiative was first disclosed Tuesday.