Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Does This Mean We Can Expect a Live Nation “iTunes Convenience Fee”?
This year, Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, will put on some 22,000 live shows–each one attended by carping about the asinine “convenience” and “courtesy” charges the company likes to tack on to ticket purchases. But much as concertgoers might loathe the idea of giving Live Nation even more of their money, they may soon do so. Because beginning today, the company is offering exclusive audio and video recordings of some of its events through iTunes.
MySpace has extended its war on bloat overseas. This morning the company announced plans to close at least four of its offices outside the U.S. in a bid to reduce costs. Some 300 of the company’s 450 international employees will lose their jobs as a result.
Palm’s Pre is the first non-Apple device to successfully link with iTunes in years. And it may also be the last. On Tuesday, Apple issued an advisory warning that it does not support iTunes integration with third-party digital media players.
The ax has finally swung at MySpace. This morning the AOL of social networks announced plans to sack 30 percent of its workforce. All told, 420 workers will lose their jobs, reducing the size of the company’s staff to 1,000 employees. CEO Owen Van Natta’s all-hands memo, after the jump.
Andy Bechtolsheim has given his notice again. The Sun co-founder is leaving the company he helped establish in 1982, just four years after returning to it and reinvigorating its aging product line. His new gig: chairman and chief development officer of Arista Networks.
