Net radio is hot! from Marketwatch 3/2/99
JamTV beats MTV to music portal
Last week's announcement by Viacom (VIA) of its intent to launch a
comprehensive online music portal site was less a threat than confirmation
to Chicago-based JamTV Corp. Its version of a one-stop Web music site
went live on the Net Monday at tunes.com. JamTV chairman
Howard Tullman said the site aggregates the text, audio, and video
resources of several other Web properties including Rolling Stone, the
Source and Downbeat magazines. One million sound clips -- many
produced by JamTV itself -- music videos, artists' profiles, album reviews
and Webcasts are accessible on demand and at no cost. "As the 70
percent of the people who aren't now on the Web get on the Web, they
are going to gravitate toward the brands and the talent they have always
relied on," Tullman told CBS.MarketWatch.com. The site also includes
a dozen music channels from RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK), access to
MP3 files, and e-commerce to facilitate users' purchase of music they
preview and want to buy.
In a related item, TCI Music Inc. (TUNE) and Comcast Corp. (CMSK)
said they will develop content for Comcast's broadband and local Internet
services. TCI's properties include cable TV pay-per-view channel The
Box, and the Internet music site, Sonic.net. Sonic.net will offer daily music
news, cybercasts, album and concert reviews, artist chats, interviews and
special music features. |
