Comments on: More on the iTunes Pricing Negotiations http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/22/more-on-the-itunes-pricing-negotiations/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:38:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: robhyndman.com » Blog Archive » U.S. Judge Rules Big Music Misled Federal Investigators http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/22/more-on-the-itunes-pricing-negotiations/#comment-2180 robhyndman.com » Blog Archive » U.S. Judge Rules Big Music Misled Federal Investigators Mon, 24 Apr 2006 06:34:09 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/22/more-on-the-itunes-pricing-negotiations/#comment-2180 [...] From the WSJ: “A U.S. District Court judge has found that Vivendi Universal SA’s Universal Music Group and EMI Group PLC, deliberately misled federal investigators by obscuring the degree to which they sought — and gained — information about their competitors’ pricing agreements with online music services.” The proceeding appears to be part of the Justice Department’s investigation into price fixing by BigMusic. Is it just me, or is “Big Music” starting to carry the PR appeal of “Big Tobacco”? Related Posts [...] [...] From the WSJ: “A U.S. District Court judge has found that Vivendi Universal SA’s Universal Music Group and EMI Group PLC, deliberately misled federal investigators by obscuring the degree to which they sought — and gained — information about their competitors’ pricing agreements with online music services.” The proceeding appears to be part of the Justice Department’s investigation into price fixing by BigMusic. Is it just me, or is “Big Music” starting to carry the PR appeal of “Big Tobacco”? Related Posts [...]

]]> By: Stuart MacDonald http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/22/more-on-the-itunes-pricing-negotiations/#comment-2168 Stuart MacDonald Sun, 23 Apr 2006 02:37:56 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/22/more-on-the-itunes-pricing-negotiations/#comment-2168 What's funny about this situation is that, as opposed to many categories where there is legitimate fear of ticking off the existing channel partners because they still control a lot of volume, in music I really don't think that's the case. Their business is having the stuffing kicked out of it -- you'd think that they would simply move to incorporating a direct to consumer model as part of their game plan, period. It is quite remarkable to see other industries only really dealing with these channel conflict issues now - and to see them struggling. Fact is, this is not new ground. They should take a look at what happened in other businesses, and then swallow hard and move boldly. What’s funny about this situation is that, as opposed to many categories where there is legitimate fear of ticking off the existing channel partners because they still control a lot of volume, in music I really don’t think that’s the case. Their business is having the stuffing kicked out of it — you’d think that they would simply move to incorporating a direct to consumer model as part of their game plan, period.

It is quite remarkable to see other industries only really dealing with these channel conflict issues now - and to see them struggling. Fact is, this is not new ground. They should take a look at what happened in other businesses, and then swallow hard and move boldly.

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