–Talpa, Sony BMG bow 8Ball Music: John de Mol’s Talpa Music, founded in 2004, and Sony BMG are pairing up for 8Ball Music, a Netherlands label with a focus on new talent and digital technology. EMI vet Tony van de Berkt is the GM for the new label. (That’s de Mol as in the reality show billionaire.)
— Sirius to Create Met Opera Channel: The opening night of the 2006-07 Metropolitan Opera season also marks the launch of its own channel on Sirius. The channel will feature live and archived performances; live broadcasts will average four times a week during the season. Sirius subscribers will be able to get the channel online.
— Digital Music gets Tuff City rights: Digital Music will be distributing the 20,000-strong catalogue of Tuff City Music covering several smaller labels and including artists like Ray Charles, Jimmy Witherspoon and Ike Turner. Digital will distribute the tracks online and by mobile as ringtones, mastertones and over-the-ari downloads. Release.
— RIP: WOXY.org streaming radio: Ohio-based internet radio station WOXY has called it quits, citing an inability to raise enough through advertising, contributions and membership to make the station work as a standalone. The station started as the internet site for 97X, WOXY-FM, then went on its own in 2004 after the terrestial assets were sold; it stopped accepting donations this month, explaining that the only help could come from “significant investment capital and a way to profit from the wonderful programming we create.” From the closing note: “When your business doesn’t make money, you eventually go out of business.” (This would seem like one of those small start-up purchases MTVN could make — right demos, passionate fans, etc..) Update: USA Today’s Pop Candy offers online alternatives.
— Taiwanese site closes P2P, goes legal: Taiwanese music site Kuro is to close its file-sharing and will pay undisclosed damages to settle a lawsuit brought by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for (what else?) copyright infringement. The federation said that most songs being illegally distributed were by local artists. Kuro plans to open a legal downloads service instead and says it has signed deals with domestic and international music companies.
— BET.com’s Janet Jacson exclusive: BET has the exclusive on new album 20 Y.O. for a week prior to retail; it started Tuesday on listening party Transmission. Release.
This article originally appeared in MediaGuardian.
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