If privacy is now dead, then Warner Bros. Records might be digging up the corpse for another kill. The WMG label, alongside a handful of other media companies that include Ustream, now-bankrupt Project Playlist, and Disney, have been accused of sinking nefarious cookies onto user systems. That includes systems operated by kids, and a federal court action was recently filed by a group representing minors and their parents.
Posts Tagged ‘Warner Music Group’
Leave Them Kids Alone: WBR Faces Dicey Privacy Lawsuit…
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Breaking: Spotify’s US Label Discussions “Back to Square One…”
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010What was that about a launch in the fall? Spotify’s US-focused label negotiations appear to be going nowhere fast, according to information surfacing late Thursday. (more…)
Warner Music Tanks Ahead of Insider Trading Probe…
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010Shares of Warner Music Group (WMG) dropped more than 18 percent to $4.96 on Tuesday, a sudden nosedive that appears linked to an insider trading trial in Paris. WMG’s “unusual movement” was far worse than the broader market, and only one stock – Anadarko Petroleum (APC) – fared worse by the bell. The Dow dropped 1.11 percent, and WMG previously closed at $6.07. (more…)
Still Wanna Buy EMI? Sony Says Yes. WMG Avoids the Question…
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010The on-again, off-again interest is starting to sound like a ‘bad romance’. But Sony Music may be rekindling its interest in EMI, according to comments coming out of Germany. “We are in a position that allows us to seize every opportunity in the market – including EMI,” Sony Music chief Rolf Schmidt-Holz told German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, in translated remarks. (more…)
Bronfman: Apple Conversations “Not Happening Today”…
Monday, May 10th, 2010So, what do labels like Warner Music Group think about the prospects of a cloud-enabled iTunes? Early information suggests that label groups want more compensation for a system that would offer multiple access points. Warner could be a party to that demand, though WMG chief Edgar Bronfman, unexpectedly candid on Spotify last quarter, offered little on this one. (more…)
Cost-Cutting + More Digital = Less Losses at Warner Music…
Friday, May 7th, 2010Hardly a case of soaring financial excess, though Warner Music Group managed to narrow its quarterly losses and beat Wall Street expectations. And, in this market, that is probably as good as it gets. (more…)
Q1 Market Share Figures Offer a Few Surprises…
Monday, March 29th, 2010EMI Music has been trumpeting improved market share figures in 2010, thanks largely to a successful Lady Antebellum release. That is now supported by stats from both Hits Magazine and Nielsen Soundscan, both of whom are showing the improved percentages. Hits is showing an 11.8 percent year-to-date share for EMI (up from 8.7 percent at the same point in 2009); and Nielsen 11.74 percent year-to-date (up from 8.77 percent). (more…)
Chopped & Screwed? EMI Buyout Chatter Returns…
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010If rumors could seal deals, then EMI would have been acquired by Warner Music Group by now. The latest flame-fanning comes from the London-based Times, which is now pointing to a potential break-up bid by WMG and private equity firm KKR. (more…)
Viacom’s Math: Less Money for Games = Less Money for Music…
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010The once-robust gaming industry is now battling a downturn, thanks partly to recessionary effects. That means smaller budgets and more selective development efforts, and according to Viacom, smaller licensing outlays for music. “As we go forward, we are… looking to reduce the cost structure associated with Rock Band, being selective in the music titles that we choose for Rock Band based on their cost,” Viacom CEO Phillip Daum stated ahead of the weekend. (more…)
Better Than We Thought: Wall Street Bumps WMG…
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010Warner Music Group shed $17 million – or 11 cents per share – during the fourth quarter, a sharp reversal from year-ago gains. But Wall Street was expecting something worse – closer to 14 cents according to Thomson Reuters – and shares moved upward in Tuesday trading. At the bell, WMG finished at $5.02, a 4.8 percent gain over the previous close. (more…)
