Google close to Chinese deal to offer legal MP3 downloads
Google is in unchartered territory, being close to a deal that would permit Google to offer free legal MP3 downloads in China. Google will launch a joint venture with Top100.cn, a Chinese website offering legal music downloads.
Three of the four major record labels will be behind this digital music venture, including Universal and, probably, Sony BMG and EMI.
The new service would offer legal MP3 downloads of watermarked files that can be tracked along with the music downloads. Google would be offering a free legal music download service that would be offset by ringtones and concert listings.
There is, as yet, no word on what type of songs will be available for free download.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out, particularly as record labels have been going after Chinese websites, most notably particular Baidu.com, which won a court ruling against it. Record labels are going after Baidu again, thought, this time under a different law.
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Good Wines 07Feb08
I wonder what price they will have to sell the songs at. I’m sure it’s alot cheaper than it would be in Europe that’s for sure. The Chinese are not really known for the honesty with these things, so they will have to put it at such a rate that even the poorest don’t have an excuse.
Jackie
Music 11Feb08
Who-ho… Google - New World Corporation..
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