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INTRODUCING LEYLINE PUBLICITY
Leyline Promotions - better known as one of the capital’s leading independent promoters (The Remix, Kill All Hippies, Insomniacs Ball, Twisted Licks, Breaking Ground) - have created a new publicity department headed up by Nick Bateson and Adrian Leigh. The pair have worked on major campaigns including a-ha, Glade Festival, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Standon Calling Festival and Hervé amongst others.
In addition to their wealth of experience in the live arena, Leyline Publicity now specialise in bespoke PR services including online and offline music and lifestyle press, radio plugging, brand development, digital marketing and blogging. For further information please contact: nick@leylinepromotions.com or adrian@leylinepromotions.com t: 020 7575 3285
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DESK SPACE AVAILABLE
Desk spaces available in attractive and creative Central London office. Perfectly positioned 5 mins from Liverpool Street and Old Street, the office is spacious, bright and has a friendly and sociable atmosphere. You'd be working alongside a film PR, online advertiser, events company, graphic designer, publishing company, filmmaker/media trainer so lots of useful contacts to be had.
Rent is £250 per month per desk and includes service charges. Please drop me a line if you're interested to find out more - rachel@devenportpr.com - Pictures are available.
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ADVERTISE WITH CMU - classifieds £120 per week, job ads £100 per week, banner ads £150 per week, leader box £200 per week - call 020 7099 9050 or email ads@unlimitedmedia.co.uk for information or to book.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION LAUNCH INTERNET RIGHTS GUIDE
The European Commission yesterday launched a new website telling consumers all about their digital rights, which includes a section on downloading and copyright.
The eYouGuide has been set up in response to a call by the European Parliament in 2007 who asked that the Commission better advise European citizens on their rights as internet consumers. On file-sharing, the guide advises that unless people know for certain a track available via a file-sharing network is out of copyright or under some kind of royalty free licence then they shouldn't download it, because doing so will probably infringe someone's copyright.
It adds that copyright exists "to promote the progress of knowledge and arts", and warns that in some European countries copyright law may "provide civil or criminal sanctions even for infringements of copyright for non-commercial purposes". It says that civil sanctions "may involve paying damages or just an injunction ordering you to stop the infringing behaviour", while criminal sanctions, normally reserved for infringement for commercial gain, they note, may include "the seizure of devices containing protected work, fines and in some extreme cases also imprisonment".
Common sense, many of you out there in CMU land may think, but you'd be surprised how little the average consumer knows about such things, which is part of the problem in terms of combating online infringement. So in that respect the new EU guide is probably a good thing, assuming anyone ever reads it. Though I'm not sure the "to promote the progress of knowledge and arts" line is the best way to convince the average file-sharer that copyrights are something they should respect, it's a bit too bold a statement to ring true.
Launching the site, the EU Commissioner For Information Society & Media Viviane Reding said the guide was part of the Commission's attempts to ensure web users across Europe have and are aware of the same rights. In the same vein, they published a digital agenda encouraging European governments and businesses to work to ensure more consistency regarding internet rights and rules across the Union.
Reding: "In the EU, consumer rights online should not depend on where a company or website is based. National borders should no longer complicate European consumers' lives when they go online to buy a book or download a song. In spite of progress made, we need to ensure that there is a single market for consumers as well as businesses on the web".
The aspects of the 'digital agenda' most relevant to the music business are probably a call for Union-wide consistency on the issue of private copying and more pan-European licensing.
The former, of course, is about whether or not you should have the right to make private copies of tracks you have bought so you can listen to them on another device (eg rip a track from a CD to a PC) and whether content owners should be compensated for such coping. In the UK all private copying is currently, technically speaking, illegal. In many European countries it is allowed but a private copying levy has traditionally been charged on the sales of recordable media - eg blank tapes and CDRs - which is passed onto content owners. There are moves to make private copying legal in the UK - given everyone does it anyway - though the music industry is pushing for some confusing quasi-levy system which complicates what could be a simple deletion of a clause of the Copyright Act.
The latter issue - the need for more pan-European licensing - is one of the European Commission's favourite grumbles. The collecting societies are normally the main targets in that domain. EC types feel current collecting society systems, where societies have (or had) virtual licensing monopolies in their own territories, are anti-competitive, and blanket licences should be available from any one society for the whole of the European Union. Such a move would make it easier to licence music for pan-European services, and force national societies to compete with each other. The collecting societies, for their part, say that the EU's proposals for pan-European licensing will actually make the whole royalties world less competitive, and also negatively impact on the societies, and therefore music communities, of smaller nations. Or something like that.
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ADELE APOLOGISES FOR RUDE JEW COMMENTS
Adele has issued an apology for causing offence with comments made on stage at the show at Toronto's Massey Hall last week.
The singer reportedly ended a story about a "rude" pawn shop owner in the city by saying: "He wasn't Canadian, he was Jewish". When this drew an unfavourable reaction from the audience, she added: "I just meant he wasn't a rude Canadian... I'm digging myself deeper".
In an apology issued via her US label, Columbia, Adele said: "What I said on stage in Toronto on Wednesday night at Massey Hall was not meant how it came across. But I completely understand how it was offensive. I sincerely apologise for being so naive and disrespectful! It was not my intention to be hurtful and I'm very sorry".
BRAXTON IMPERSONATOR STILL IN JAIL, PROMOTER ARRESTED
Toni Braxton tribute artist Trina Johnson Finn, who, as previously reported, was arrested in Suriname after being accused of deliberately attempting to dupe fans and pass herself off as the singer, is still in prison, more than two months after the controversial fake gig. Johnson-Finn is set to appear in court in the South American country on 26 May to face charges of defrauding people who bought tickets for the event, which the singer's husband, Raymond Finn, says was actually the scheme of dodgy local promoter Angel Ventura, who was finally arrested on Monday.
Finn says that Trina herself was duped by Ventura, as she had no idea that the concert was being promoted as an actual Toni Braxton gig. He says of the forty year old singer, who has had a long career as a tribute artist "Trina's been isolated there for two months. She doesn't understand why she's being used as a scapegoat". He also expressed relief that Angel Ventura had been tracked down, after his disappearance following the ill-fated concert.
It's difficult to know what really happened here. Johnson-Finn seemingly had a contract with Ventura which read "purchaser agrees that there will not be any advertisements or promotions, whatsoever, listing the performer as literally being Toni Braxton", and supporters claim that's enough to prove her innocence. Others say she knew what she was doing. Her Surinamese lawyer Kathleen Brandon is quoted as saying: "She has done no wrong, so it is difficult for her to spend so much time in jail to await the start of the trial".
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ANOTHER THRILLER LAWSUIT FOR JACKO
The actress who played Michael Jackson's girlfriend in the legendary video to 'Thriller' is suing. No, not for the trauma it all caused (the trauma of the 'thriller' obviously, not having to pretend to be Jacko's girlfriend), but because she says she was promised a cut of the profits from the video but has yet to receive a penny. Ola Ray has sued Jackson and his production company for breach of contract.
Ray's lawsuit follows the previously reported litigation filed by John Landis, the video's director, who says he is due 50% of the profits from the video, but has not had a financial report or royalty cheque in years. You sometimes really do wonder about the people who manage the affairs of people like Jacko - you'd think he'd be able to hire at least one person to keep on top of all these past agreements wouldn't you? Or would said person have to deliver so much bad news to Jackson s/he'd be fired in a week?
DEFTONES BASSIST OUT OF COMA
Deftones bassist Chi Cheng has come out of the coma he has been in since November last year, after being involved in a car crash in California. His condition has apparently improved so much since the weekend that he has now been moved out of intensive care.
A message posted on the One Love For Chi website, set up by the band and Cheng's family to help raise money to cover his medical costs, reads: "Hi all - just wanted to update everyone and let you know that Chi was released from ICU over the weekend and is no longer on any sort of life support. His symptoms continue to improve. So keep the prayers coming... they are obviously helping a great deal! Thanks everyone for your support and well wishes... It means so much to the Cheng family".
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N-DUBZ OFFICIALLY SWINE FLU FREE
N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos has been given the all-clear and discharged by a hospital in Greece. As previously reported, she was admitted to hospital after falling ill on a flight to the country and was tested for swine flu. Doctors at the medical facility in the city of Pendeli told reporters that she was just suffering from normal, non-piggy flu.
A spokesman for the band said: "Hopefully she'll get better and be able to fly back towards the end of the week, but we don't know if she will be well enough".
MOJO NOMINATIONS OUT
The nominations for this year's Mojo Honours List Awards are out. Look, here they are...
Album of the Year: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Bella Union), Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night (Sony/RCA), Paul Weller - 22 Dreams (Universal/Island), Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (Universal/Fiction), PJ Harvey And John Parish - A Woman A Man Walked By (Universal/Island).
Best Live Act: Fleet Foxes, Paul Weller, Leonard Cohen, Seasick Steve, Radiohead.
Breakthrough Act: Gallows, White Lies, Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & the True Loves, School Of Seven Bells, Glasvegas.
Compilation of the Year: Dark Was The Night (Beggars/4AD), Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story (Ace), 'War Child: Heroes' (EMI/Parlophone), 'The Sound Of Wonder: The First Wave of Plugged-In Pop At The Pakistani Picture House' (Finder's Keepers), 'Cadillac Records OST' (Sony/Columbia).
Song of the Year: Elbow - One Day Like This (Universal/Fiction), Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Bella Union), Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire (Sony/RCA), Franz Ferdinand - Ulysees (Domino), Animal Collective - My Girls (Domino).
MERCER REORGANISES THE SHINS
James Mercer has changed the line up of The Shins because of a change of direction. Drummer Jesse Sandoval is out, as is keyboardist Marty Crandall, whilst Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer and Fruit Bats bassist Ron Lewis are in.
Explaining his reasons for the shuffle, Mercer told Pitchfork: "I started to have production ideas that I wanted to do that basically required some other people. It's mainly about that. It's an aesthetic decision. It's kind of hard to talk about stuff like that, isn't it? Because I don't want to bum anybody out. I'm on good terms with those guys, I hope to maintain that. I wouldn't say I'd never work with them again. I love working with those guys".
GREEN DAY PREVIEW NEW SONGS
Green Day have posted six songs from their new album, '21st Century Breakdown', which is set for release later this month, on their official website.
You can listen to them here.
Explaining the songwriting process for the new album to LA's KROQ radio station, where the songs were originally aired, the band's frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said: "If you're writing topical songs or political songs or rebel songs or whatever you want to call 'em, it's important for them to come from the same place as a love song would come from because you want people to draw their own conclusions. It's just like capturing a moment".
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STELLASTARR* RETURN
Stellastarr* return this summer with their third album, 'Civilized', the follow-up 2005's 'Harmonies For The Haunted', which had the dubious honour of being one of the CDs that secretly put SonyBMG's controversial rootkit software onto US listeners' computers and left them open to spyware attacks. The new album will be released (minus dubious software) by the band's own Bloated Wife label, with US distribution through Warner Music's ADA, following the band's acrimonious post-rootkit split from Sony's RCA division.
Speaking to Billboard, frontman Shawn Christensen said: "I think we're definitely excited to get new material out there. When we left RCA, as a result, we took a year off to regroup. We did a polished record for a second one and wanted to go back to basics. Make sure everything was really raw, aggressive, urgent, fun, and dark. On the second record, we went for something more atmospheric, and this time, we went in the other direction".
The album will be released in the US On 7 Jul. The band are still working to secure deals to release it in other countries. While you wait, here's the tracklist:
Robot
Freak Out
Tokyo Sky
Numbers
Graffiti Eyes
Prom Zombie
Warchild
People
Move On
Sonja Cries
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TRENT LIKES THE HORRORS
First the Manic Street Preachers were bigging up The Horrors, and now Nine Inch Nails man Trent Reznor is raving about their new album 'Primary Colours'. He tweeted earlier this week: "Be sure to get The Horror's new record 'Primary Colours' RIGHT NOW. The greatest thing I've heard in a long time". So, you heard the man. The second The Horrors album was released on Monday.
SPECIALS CANCEL BRIXTON SHOW BECAUSE OF THROAT TROUBLE
The Specials were forced to cancel their show at Brixton Academy last night because singer Terry Hall was advised by doctors not to perform as he has been suffering from a throat infection. A replacement date has been scheduled for 16 May, and promoters are confident that the band's remaining Brixton dates, which take place tonight, tomorrow, and on the 11 and 12 May, will go ahead as planned.
Tickets for the 6 May show will be valid for the 16 May, or ticket holders can get a refund by 11 May.
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LOST HANDEL PIECE TO RECEIVE FIRST PERFORMANCE FOR 250 YEARS
A piece of music composed by Handel will be performed for the first time in 250 years by the University Of Portsmouth Choir. The funeral anthem was composed for the burial of Queen Caroline in 1737. Handel then wanted to translate the piece into Italian but Caroline's husband King George II refused to allow this and instead ordered it to be destroyed. However, an unfinished translation was recently discovered by Handel expert Professor Donald Burrows in a set of archives.
Burrows' son George, a lecturer at The University Of Portsmouth, is staging the performance of the 40 minute piece, which will take place at the city's New Theatre Royal on Saturday.
Burrows Jr told The Telegraph: "Handel's music has an extraordinary energy and emotion, he seems to be able to tap into something deep and universal in people. This is a tremendously exciting opportunity to perform a piece of music with real emotional power".
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RIHANNA CANCELS DUBAI SHOW
Rihanna has pulled out of a show in Dubai due to "inappropriate" timing. Although the singer apparently gave no exact reason as to why she considered it inappropriate, I think it's reasonable to presume that it's to do with the fact that the planned date for the show, 28 May, is the same date as her former boyfriend Chris Brown's rescheduled court appearance in his ongoing assault case, in which he is accused of beating Rihanna up in an LA street, of course.
Yassin Matbouly, managing director of the concert's promoters Vibe Entertainment Management Agency, told the Associated Press that although negotiations to confirm the show were never completed, he had received "nothing in writing" to say that the gig would not go ahead, but that he had "heard it was inappropriate timing for her to have a public concert".
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GREEN DAY ANNOUNCE FREE GIG
Green Day have said that they will stage a free concert for a small number of fans to celebrate the release of their aforementioned new album '21st Century Breakdown'. The band will play at New York's Webster Hall nightclub on 19 May a few days after the album comes out on 15 May, and 300 fans will have the chance to win tickets by responding to bulletins on www.myspace.com/thelist. A number of tickets will also be sold to the general public, and the performace will be broadcast online shortly after the show via MySpace Music.
DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, Donington Park, Castle Donington, 12-14 Jun: Hollywood Undead have been announced to play the main stage at this year's Download. Trigger The Bloodshed and Sacred Mother Tongue have been confirmed for the second stage, with Lauren Harris, Steel Panther, Hexes and Hunting The Minotaur all set to play the Tuborg Stage. www.downloadfestival.co.uk
GLASTONBURY, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, 24-28 Jun: Lady GaGa has been confirmed to play this year's Glastonbury Festival, joining previously announced headliners Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Blur. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
LOOP FESTIVAL, various venues, Brighton, 11-12 Jul: Fever Ray, Karin Andersson, Telepathe and The Juan Maclean are the latest acts to be announced for Brighton's Loop festival, along with The Qemists, Zomby, Riton, Squarepusher, The Field, Datarock and Matthew Herbert Big Band. www.loopbrighton.com
WOMAD, Charlton Park, Wiltshire, 25-27 Jul: Neo-soul legend Roy Ayers is amongst the latest acts to be announced to play Womad this year. The Apples, Che Sudaka, Charlie Winston, Mamer, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, CirKus, Los Desterrados and 17 Hippies have also been confirmed. www.womad.org
SONISPHERE, Knebworth House, 1-2 Aug: Slipknot's Corey Taylor has been confirmed to play a solo show at this year's new metal fest. The Chapman Family, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Fighting With Wire, Rolo Tomassi, Twin Atlantic, Attack! Attack! and Cancer Bats are also set to perform. www.sonispherefestivals.com
CREAMFIELDS, Daresbury Estate, Cheshire, 29-30 Aug: Producer and remixer Diplo has been confirmed to play Creamfields this summer, along with Casiokids, Young Fathers and Example. They will join previously announced Tiesto, Basement Jaxx, David Guetta, Paul Van Dyk, Calvin Harris plus many more. www.creamfieldsfestival.co.uk
COMING TO YOU FROM THE INSIDE: NEW CMU SEMINAR
So, as of today we're able to reveal more information about our 'Music Business In 2009: An Inside Guide' event which will take place at The Great Escape this time next week, Thursday 14 May at midday, and at Liverpool SoundCity the following week on Friday 22 May, also at midday.
Run by CMU Co-Editor Chris Cooke, this session will provide an introduction to how the music business works in 2009, looking at the different ways artists, entrepreneurs and companies can make money from music in the ever diverse digital age, and at the decisions and deals that need to be made to capitalise on the opportunities that exist in the modern music world.
The session is in some ways a beginners guide to the modern music industry, specifically aimed at any artist, band, songwriter, producer or entrepreneur wanting to make it big in music, or anyone considering a career in the music industry. Though with the business in a total state of flux, it should also provide food for thought for anyone currently working in the industry wanting a catch up on current issues, or an insight into areas of the business other than their own.
Commenting on the session, Chris says: "We've run beginners guides to the music business for years, though this one is quite different. We'll provide newcomers with all the basics, but we also hope to present a summary of all the ongoing music industry stories we write about every day in the CMU Daily, and look at what those developments mean for people working in music, whether they be embarking on their career as an artist or music industry exec, or even if they've been working in the business for much longer than I have. It should be fun".
Holders of any Great Escape or Liverpool SoundCity wristbands can attend the respective sessions at the two music conventions.
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CITY SHOWCASE KICKS OFF
The City Showcase festival kicks off in London today, and as well as all the showcase events taking place at venues across the capital, there's a great programme of workshops, which have already kicked off at the Apple Store on Regent Street.
Among the sessions is one today at 4pm called Listen To The Music where a panel of pundits, including Radio 1's Bobby Friction, The Independent's Simon Price and producer Dave Enringa, will offer advice on a selection of new music brought in by the audience.
Entrance to all the workshops, and the numerous gig showcases, is free with a special wristband. More details at www.cityshowcase.co.uk
ALBUM REVIEW: Zoey Van Goey - The Cage Was Unlocked All Along (Left In The Dark Records)
Comprising an Irishman, an English woman and a Canadian, this Glasgow-based band may sound like the start of a joke of questionable taste; though, while lacking the potential to offend, Zoey Van Goey do still raise the smiles, like some mutation of The Decemberists, Belle And Sebastian and a Care Bear. Sweet boy/girl vocals offer melodic delicacies over soft strums, though there's also a dark edge that's only apparent after several listens. It's there though, and it haunts through the vibrant bopalong of 'We Don't Have That Kind Of Bread' and 'Sweethearts In Disguise', giving depth to a record otherwise simple and childlike. Elsewhere, there's a host of ideas beyond folk pop. Things are most joyous in this regard on 'Foxtrot Vandals', like Rilo Kiley before they lost interest, with Stuart Murdoch's production as enthusiastic as could be hoped for. 'Two White Ghosts' is special too, embracing the aforementioned cute, carefree nature with a line like "we had no other plan, so we taught English in Japan". It's the perfect debut record - concise and considered, sweet and simple. And easy for anyone to love. It's for the children, for the grown ups and for the indie kids in between. TM
Release Date: 11 May
Press Contact: Hermana PR [all]
Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon
SONY MOVE TO COMBAT ILLEGAL LYRIC READING
The growing rise of illegal lyric reading on the internet is the scourge of the music industry, obviously (actually, it is an area where some music publishers have sued in the past, but that's another story) but Sony Music is here to combat it all single handedly with a new online audio player which will launch in the US and Canada.
The label announced this week that they will add a audio streaming player to its artist websites this summer, which will allow users to create personalised playlists and access song lyrics. The latter feature is thanks to a new deal with Gracenote (which is now owned by Sony Corp) to license lyrics, establishing it, the company said, "as the first music major to broadly offer song lyrics on its artist websites".
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EMI UPBEAT ABOUT 2008/9 FINANCIALS
EMI are upbeat about the financial performance of their recordings division for the year ending 31 Mar, their first full financial year under the ownership of Terra Firma, of course. According to a financial report published this morning, the London-based major saw earnings (before tax and what not) rise over 200% to £163million. The profit boost was helped, of course, by the considerable cost cutting introduced by the new regime. Sales were down 10%, which they admit is slightly more than the contraction of the overall market, but, they added, they maintained their market share, and added 1.5% to their share of the crucial US market.
Commenting on the financial report, EMI Music boss Elio Leoni-Sceti told CMU: "I am very pleased we have delivered this strong operating performance and would like to thank all the staff and artists whose talent, creativity and hard work made it possible. These results are an important first step in building EMI's future. We cannot afford to be complacent however since there is still a great deal of work to be done to restore EMI to its former greatness and we are doing it in the face of challenging economic conditions. Looking ahead we have some exciting new releases coming up, a much deeper understanding of the music consumer and a new engaged relationship with our artists to build on. Now it has established this platform, EMI can look to the future with confidence and optimism".
RADIO LISTENING AT ALL TIME HIGH
The latest lot of radio listening figures are out, and they reveal that more people are listening to radio than ever before. According to radio ratings people RAJAR, 45.8 million people now tune into at least one radio show a week, which is an all time high. So, well done radio people. We'll scan the rest of the latest slightly made radio ratings and bring you a station ratings round up in tomorrow's CMU Daily.
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BBC BEGINS RADIO 2/6 REVIEW
The BBC Trust today announced it will begin a 'service review' of Radio 2 and 6Music. The Beeb's regulatory body plans to review all of the Corporation's services every five years or so, to check the licence fee payer is getting the best value for their money. Almost certainly not. While it may make some very fine programmes, the BBC is an horrifically over-resourced beast that leaks cash like a, erm, like some sort of cash leaking thing. Ironically, the fact the BBC can afford to waste time and money on this very review is kind of proof of that. But whatever, a twelve-week consultation period will now begin in which members of the public can comment on both Radio 2 and 6Music. The Trust's report on the matter will be published next year. I don't really care what they say, providing no one thinks about moving/changing/altering the 'Adam & Joe Show'.
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CHANNEL 4 NOT ON ITS LAST LEGS FINANCIALLY, OK?
Channel 4 boss Andy Duncan has denied his TV network is in a "survive or die" situation. The telly man seems concerned that by telling everyone how broke the channel is - a bid to get the government to give him some non-commercial money, like a cut of the licence fee -now everyone is of the opinion he's personally run a once great British TV institution into the ground.
Clarifying the situation this week, Duncan told reporters: "Survival has never been an issue - [it] has genuinely been misunderstood by some people. We have talked of a [funding] gap, not survive or die. In any scenario going forward Channel 4 will survive and be there".
Duncan says that what is at risk is his channel's commitment to public service broadcasting, and providing an alterative to the BBC in that domain. Channel 4's role as an alternative public service broadcaster was more important than ever, he added, because ITV has "all but walked away" from a number of its PSB obligations. He said that if government couldn't help his company find new sources of income other than traditional advertising and sponsorship revenue, then "what will suffer substantially is programming and content spend, which will in turn diminish [our] public impact and plurality to the BBC".
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MURDOCH DESPERATE TO CHARGE US FOR ACCESSING HIS WEBSITES
OK web users, you had your fun, all that free content and stuff, but play time is over, Rupert's spoken and from this point onwards it's gonna cost you if you want to have a good time. Well, news anyway.
Rupert Murdoch has said that he expects to start charging for access to his newspapers' websites within a year as he single-handedly fixes a "malfunctioning" business model. That malfunctioning business model - though Murdoch didn't specifically say so - is the whole newspaper industry, which is struggling to stay afloat as sales and ad revenues from print titles nosedive, and key newspapers' websites - while seeing sometimes rapid increases in traffic - are struggling to cover even their basic costs through ad sales.
The subscription model, whereby users are charged a fee to access some or all of a website, has been much touted in media circles since the early days of the internet. Some trade-based titles have had some success in charging users for access to their online content, and it seems to be based on the success of one such title - albeit a more mainstream trade title - that Murdoch is basing his plans to charge for online access to The Times and Sun.
Murdoch has owned the Wall Street Journal since 2007 and has been impressed with their successes in the online subscription domain, and hopes that his other newspapers can adopt their model to drive new online revenues. In a conference call with journalists and analysts this week he said that such subscriptions could come into effect within a year, adding "the current days of the internet will soon be over".
Of course, the Journal has a business-based audience who are arguably more likely to pay for the sort of information the WSJ can provide - and in the UK the Financial Times, while fiddling with its own subscription model over the years, is still able to charge for those online services that have real value to those working in the City. For business titles it's a viable model. Whether it will work for more consumer-facing titles is another matter entirely. Still, good content costs at least some money, and as demand for declining ad revenues increases, someone might have to find a subscription model that works to stop the internet - and all digital media - from becoming one big platform for shit.
MTV2/MYSPACE CHART
It's the MTV2/MySpace chart, based on votes by MTV2 viewers on MySpace. The top ten this week is as follows...
1. [NE] Placebo - For What It's Worth
2. [1] Elliot Minor - Discover
3. [NE] Baddies - Holler For My Holiday
4. [2] Maximo Park - The Kids Are Sick Again
5. [5] The Maccabees - Love You Better
6. [3] Go Audio - Drive To The City
7. [7] Team Waterpolo - Route 44
8. [4] Magistrates - Heartbreak
9. [6] You Me At Six - Finders Keepers
10. [8] Bombay Bicycle club - Always Like This
Meanwhile, added to the list for viewer voting this week are...
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
Enter Shikari - Juggernauts
Hockey - Learn To Lose
Little Boots - New In Town
The Blackout - Children Of The Night
More at www.myspace.com/mtvtwo
STOP BEING SO SERIOUS ABOUT EUROVISION, SAYS WOGAN
Former Eurovision presenter Terry Wogan has told European broadcasters to stop being serious about the Eurovision Song Contest, because it's rubbish anyway, and should just be viewed as a bit of fun.
Appearing at the European Broadcasting Union's Eurovision TV summit in Lucerne, Wogan criticised the tendency for countries to vote politically, telling delegates: "Eurovision is an exciting, camp, foolish spectacle. You can't top it. It is fun, light entertainment. It is the biggest of its kind anywhere in the world. It is not about politics or asserting your place in the community, not even about national pride. It is not an opportunity to show your neighbours how much you love them. It is about picking the best popular song in Europe".
Asked if there was a gulf between the UK and the rest of Europe, Wogan replied: "There has always been that there. There has always been that general feeling of distrust of Johnny Foreigner, but of course it is mutual. Britain has attacked nearly every country in Europe and people don't forget".
The TV and radio presenter, who has been criticised for not taking the event seriously enough, described the event as a "triumph of appalling taste", and added: "Everybody knows it's rubbish. Everybody in the UK knows it's rubbish. I think I have brought the British public along with me and we now share an interest in it. Many of you may have heard my comments and don't think I take it seriously enough and you are right, I don't. But I am a friend of this Contest, possibly its oldest friend. How do friends behave to each other? They tell each other the truth. They don't indulge in idle flattery".
Asked to elaborate on his allegations of politically motivated voting, he immediately said that he was not interesting in starting an argument, but felt it was "transparently obvious" that politics are involved. "I can only speak for the UK, but as the Eurovision Song Contest has grown bigger and bigger, the opinion in Britain - and this may well be true in France, Germany and Spain as well - is that there is a certain disenfranchisement".
He concluded: "The UK has always had the edict of fair play. It doesn't matter where the song is from. But people don't feel that is being reciprocated in certain areas and I think the voting is an indication of that".
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RUSSIAN MUSEUM ANGRY ABOUT MADONNA GIG
According to reports, the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is really cross about a planned Madonna gig in the city's square, close to the museum's location. Well, I say the museum itself is cross. The museum itself can't express such emotions, obviously, but director Dr Mikhail Piotrovski says the idea is a "disaster" and asked for "guarantees that there will be no blasphemy".
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