> http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/26/1059084259875.html > > Telstra's bold bid to hijack rock'n'roll > > By Jim O'Rourke > July 27 2003 > The Sun-Herald > > > Australia's largest telecommunications company is set to make a giant > leap into the music business with a plan to launch an online record > shop this year. > > In what could be a major change for single and album sales, Telstra > confirms it is having discussions with two major record labels about > setting up a music download site for its broadband internet customers. > > Music lovers will be able to gain access to at least 200,000 songs by > thousands of artists and transfer them onto their home computers, for > less than $2 a song. > > Telstra expects to launch the service, which it says will be in direct > competition with shopfront record stores selling CDs, before Christmas. > > For several years fans have been able to download their favourite tunes > through various free websites with performers and record companies > missing out on their dues. > > Australian music lovers can already buy from a relatively small > catalogue of legally downloadable music through websites including > those set up by Sanity Music and HMV. > > Telstra said it had been examining the success of Apple Computer's > online music store, launched in the US in April. Apple boasts that fans > can create a personal digital music library by accessing songs 24 hours > a day. > > In its first 16 days, Apple iTunes customers downloaded more than two > million songs. Apple is hoping to set up a similar site in Australia. > > Apple iTunes charges the equivalent of about $1.57 a song. The company > was able to strike deals with the top five record companies in the US > and has the support of most major artists. > > Apple customers can keep the songs indefinitely, share them on as many > as three Macintosh computers and play them on any number of iPod > portable music players. > > A Telstra spokesman confirmed it was having discussions with at least > two large record companies. > > The online store will be aligned with Telstra's broadband online radio > station, The Basement. >
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