While we reported a few days ago about CNET to acquire the MP3.com domain name and some of its assets, The Register has given more details about the take-over. CNET bought some "specific assets" of MP3.com with the intension of running an online music service to compete with Apple, Rhapsody and so on. MP3.com Musicians have been told that any data, personal information and physical content they have on the website will not be transferred to CNET Networks or any other third party. CNET will instead 'demolish' everything on MP3.com and rebuild it from scratch. That is, on December 2nd all existing data on servers will be deleted and any physical media such as submitted tapes and CDs will be destroyed. Essentially, they are politely asking musicians to leave and find somewhere else to host their content.
After the take-over of MP3.com, CNET aims to run a private flat rate fee based private music sharing service where the musicians get compensated as well as an online music download shop similar to iTunes, Napster and the rest. As CNET plan on using DRM protected software and music downloads, the music will unlikely be in the MP3 format despite acquiring the hostname MP3.com. It is not clear what the size of there music library will be or what restrictions they will have in place on downloads or music shared over their private music sharing network.
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On Friday morning CNET woke up to find it was sharing a bed with MP3.com, and couldn't quite recollect how the pair of them had got there. We've all had nights like this, but yesterday CNET staffers were puzzling over how the mothership found itself tweaked into an improbable and very hastily arranged relationship between two hugely unlikely partners, both apparently lured to sin by the glamor of latest Silicon Valley goldrush: copy-protected music downloads. Some poor, unwitting business development executive at CNET must be rubbing his forehead this morning, asking himself "what did I do?" CNET has decided to buy some "specific assets" of the company that Michael Robertson founded in 1998 with the intention of forming a marketplace for the exchange of music. CNET won't inherit the sprawling archive of music that has accreted there, however. MP3.com has never been less than a mess, but it does represent a hefty social archive. And at some point (and we shall endeavour to find out who, and where) two drunken business executives decided to flush the chain on the whole lot, and strike a deal. CNET has acquired the mp3.com domain name, to add to its existing treasures, such as "com.com" and - stop laughing, you folks - "news.com". The music archive, however, gets it in the neck. Musicians received this announcement on Friday. "Your personal information, music, images, related content or other information will not be transferred to CNET Networks, Inc. or any other third party... Please note, however, that promptly following the removal of the MP3.com website, all content will be deleted from our servers and all previously submitted tapes, CD-ROMs and other media in our possession will be destroyed. We recommend that you make alternative content hosting arrangements as soon as practicable." A verbose way of saying, "piss off"... "It has been a privilege to host one of the largest and most diverse collections of music in the world. MP3.com wishes to express its sincere thanks to each of you for making our website an important part of your musical journey. We wish you continued success." ... and, goodbye. Whoops Acquisition Not since the Great Leap Forward has there been such a destruction of the commons. Back then, for political reasons, millions of books were burned. Now, for very sensible commercial reasons that we must not question, millions of MP3s will be lost to the commons. You have precisely seventeen days to grab the good stuff (and, Steb Sly - we hope you have a backup) Punters and musicians alike will have until December 2 to retrieve the goods. After that, the future isn't too difficult to predict. CNET will follow Wal-Mart, Real Inc. and Apple Computer into the DRM business, infecting as many computers as they can with restrictive software controls that close what for a brief period has been an open computer platform. They all hope that this tentative business model, the terms of which are set by the entertainment "industry", will somehow turn them a profit. Or at least give the illusion of doing so, until a better idea comes along. Read the full article here. |
It seems a pity that CNET wishes to take over MP3.com just to run it as a music shop compared to how MP3.com currently operates as. At the moment, MP3.com has been a place for artists to offer their music for consumers to freely download and get it heard. The even use to run a service where users could stream music from their website as long as they have the original CD, but they got sued as a result as they did not get authorisation from the artists to do so.
Now, it appears that CNET wish to acquire the domain name, but have no intension in offering music in the MP3 format despite having the hostname for the world's most popular audio format. If a consumer visits or purchases music from MP3.com, they will expect their music to be at least in the MP3 format. Otherwise, it is like having a shop called 'DVD Movie Entertainment' and all they ever offer are VHS tapes!
Discuss and read more about file sharing and music download services on our Music Downloads,P2P and Legal Issues Forum.
Source: The Register
