Report: MTV, RealNetworks join forces against Apple

Viacom's MTV has plans to align its digital music strategy with RealNetworks, a move that likely marks the end of a similar partnership between MTV and Microsoft, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal.

A year ago, analysts loved the idea that Microsoft appeared to be challenging Apple's powerhouse music store, iTunes, by joining forces with a music-industry icon in MTV.

But MTV's Urge music service fell flat.

One reason may have been that shortly after Urge launched, Microsoft directed much of its attention toward the Zune music player and a digital download store that would not only compete with iTunes but also Urge.

According to the Journal's story, which cited unnamed sources, MTV has recently stopped devoting resources to Urge.

RealNetworks, the operator of the Rhapsody music service, could use some help. The subscriber-based service has failed to make up much ground on iTunes, which recently announced that it has sold more than 3 billion songs and became the nation's third-largest music retailer ahead of Amazon and Target.

But while MTV is a decades-old and very recognizable brand among music fans, the company has fallen behind when it comes to the Internet. Sites like FaceBook, MySpace, and YouTube have lured millions of young people to their sites, and away from television, while MTV has struggled to find a cohesive Web strategy.

[David Turner]

MTV sucks

Maybe its because MTV sucks when it comes to music and has
no idea when it comes to the Net or what is actually cool.

When MTV actually plays music in-between all their second rate
reality tv shows its often whatever the music companies want to
peddle with it put on heavy rotation.

MTV keeps banging on about how cool they are but only
themselves and some out of touch analysts still believe this.

They are yesterdays news and a very long way from cool.

[demiphonic]

lol

quite right my friend. whne I think MTV I think of those over sexed showes like Real World etc. Things have gone downhill & I can't ever get the music I want when I turn to that station.

[Wind_Freak]

MT who?

I didn't know MTV was still around. I knew they gave up the
music part a long time ago though. If you wanted to catch
videos you hade to go to vh1.

Oh well another competator doomed for failure.

Hey maybe if we get lucky the spyware maker will get sucked
under and no longer be able to produce their spyware any more.

BTW it is well known that realplayer is spyware.

[shinelikeitdoes]

so..

MTV which is a joke, is aligning with Real Networks..the company who, everyone i know, if they visit a page that says "real player required" just skip it...what a power alignment.

Can't wait to watch "The Real World: Bolivia" on the crappiest plugin out there..

yeah. pass.

[gsmiller88]

The new MTV...

Sorry but I, nor does anyone I know, think of MTV as Music
Television anymore.....More like....Moron Television. They might
show, what?--3 hours worth of videos laaaaate at nite when no
normal human is awake? And don't even think about mentioning
TRL. They can't get past the shout outs and
'WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'s long enough so you can
actually listen to any music.

Face it: iTunes IS the new face of music

[Thomas, David]

LMAO ROLF ... more like STV

Stupid Television ... and there is plenty to go around.

I remember when MTV had no commercials, only played music
videos, a very wide assortment, with real ( I repeat, real) jockeys
who loved music, and playing their latest, and other, collection
of videos.

MTV died a very, very long time ago. It is a mere name, no
longer associated with ANYthing worth while.

It's not an opinion, but a fact, that MTV is NOT Music Television.