Scurrying back and forth like scared little bunnies
Seriously, this just gets more pathetic every day. Now the Macalope reads that Real and -- are you read for this? -- MTV are joining forces against iTunes.
Yes, it's the greatest team-up since Ant Man and Tigra!
But, wait. Didn't Real already try partnering with some other has-been juggernaut?
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.
Ah, analysts! And they're never wrong.
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.
Ooh. That's gonna leave a mark.
But while MTV is a decades-old and very recognizable brand among music fans...
Recognizable? Really? The Macalope is old enough to remember when MTV was hot because of, well, Martha Quinn and that Hot For Teacher video. But he's gotta say, MTV, What Have You Done For Me Lately?
...the company has fallen behind when it comes to the Internet.
Oh, the Internet.
Pshaw.
It'll never catch on.
Well, it seems like the horned one is saying "Good luck with that" so much that it's becoming a cliché, but he is sincere when he says "Good luck with that."
OK, not really.
Mythical beast and rumormonger extraordinaire, the Macalope writes about all things Apple for the CNET Blog Network. Read more at The Macalope: An Apple blog. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
To be successful, a non-iTunes music service needs to be compatible with the iPod (i.e. DRM-free) and have some kind of a draw. Artists not available on iTunes, maybe, or lower prices.
Maybe they can get those things working. It certainly seems more likely than a year ago. I still don't give them good odds, though; they've shown no evidence of the brains necessary to pull off an iTunes killer.
MTV was a relevant source of music 25 years ago...but now it is more bloated with bad reality shows and shows about who's bling is better than everyone elses (I think that covers what, 12 shows?). It's not about music anymore.
New Super Rhapsody.
Call me crazy, but I thought MTV made money by getting people to pay them to
advertise on their network.
Real should be paying them a licensing fee for the name, not holding out the
cup asking for large change.
Oh, yeah. And it won't even put a dent in Apple. Apple is managing the whole user experience. These peanut-heads want to compete on price.
What they haven't figured out is what the user wants. The price is secondary.
- The Yawnalope
- by mini.boss August 22, 2007 2:30 PM PDT
- I really was happy to see my favorite Mac blogger get a real paycheck when he signed onto CNet. But honestly, these articles have gone from being unique and funny to the typical defensive Mac-support group stuff you see on every other Mac blog.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(6 Comments)Sure, iTunes is the biggest player in the digital music arena but just because we like Apple means they should be the only ones in charge. Universal, MTV or whoever joins their little crusade may seem like fools but as CONSUMERS we benefit more from competition than dominance.
Anyway, I know it doesn't mean much but I'm unsubscribing from this feed. Congratulations on the paycheck but it just isn't the same product anymore.