vega+blog+analysis

TO: Proximity music team FROM: Jen Vega SUBJECT: NYT article on FreeAllMusic.com DATE: January 5, 2009

We were asked to analyze a news article to help us prepare Proximity’s fall survey. Below, I summarized an article from the //New York Times// about a website called FreeAllMusic.com that is offering free music downloads in the midst of copyright wars within the music industry. We should ask TU student how often they download music illegally and if having to watch short commercials would persuade them to use a website like FreeAllMusic.com.

FreeAllMusic.com is a website that offers free music to users, in return they watch a short commercial. The website will be airing commercials from sponsors such as Coca Cola, Warner Brothers Television, and Zappos.com. These companies are the ones paying for the downloads in return for advertisement of their products. The popular website Hulu has found that people are willing to watch a short commercial in order to watch free television show and other videos.
 * What FreeAllMusic.com offers**

The website goes public this month and users will be able to download free music without having to worry about the rights to the music. The website will offer music that is compatible with Apple devices as well as PCs and the user does not have to download any additional software. The chief executive of FreeAllMusic.com, Richard Nailling, said that two of the four major music labels have signed on providing their full digital catalogs.

This website benefits both the user and the record labels. FreeAllMusic.com is important because artists and record labels have been fighting illegal digital downloads for years. This is a way for people to download music for free, record labels get their money, and the sponsors get advertising. People do not have to worry about being sued by the record companies for illegally downloading music, as they have recently been doing. In one instance a person downloaded 30 songs and was fined $675,000.
 * Why FreeAllMusic.com is important**

Internet downloading of music is becoming the norm for GenY users. We should ask TU students about their music downloading habits and whether a website like FreeAllMusic.com would interest them to download legally.
 * Questions to ask TU students**


 * How often do you download music from the internet?
 * Do you download music off of the internet illegally?
 * Would you be willing to watch a short 15-20 second commercial for free music?

__ Reference __ Newman, A. A. (2009, December 29). With Ads, Music Downloads Sing a New Tune. //New York Times//. Retrieved from []‌2009/‌12/‌30/‌business/‌media/‌30adco.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1262700116-lk83dSkAJ5hJ49hElfZ10w