The internet comes alive to sound of Kiwi music

By MICHAEL FOREMAN

Two forthcoming websites have both made the mistaken claim to be the first to offer New Zealanders local music in the MP3 format.

Mp3.co.nz, which is set for launch in September, boasted that it would be New Zealand's first "music service provider," while rival mp3.net.nz, which will launch next Monday, claimed to be "New Zealand's first MP3 site."

Domenic Carosa, chief executive of Ehyou.com, which will launch mp3.co.nz, says his company already provides an MP3 service in Australia at mp3.com.au, which includes a number of tracks from New Zealand artists.

However, he will be recruiting six people in this country to help source more local content, including Maori music, for the New Zealand version.

Mr Carosa said artists were expected to give away one or two tracks as "business cards," but they would receive 50 per cent of the revenue from CD sales.

Each CD, which will cost $20 to $25, would be produced as ordered online and could contain tracks from several artists.

Over 60,000 users have registered on the Australian website since its launch last September, but Mr Carosa agreed that not all users had purchased a CD.

"However, once we know what kind of music customers are interested in, we can e-mail them with similar tracks as they become available.

"It's offering a whole new marketing opportunity."

Mr Carosa said mp3.co.nz would not infringe copyright law.

"All artists or their record companies have granted us the right to use their music. We are very focused on protecting the rights of the artists."

Ehyou.com, which is listed on the Australian stock exchange, owns the web hosting company OzHosting.com, and Sprint.com.au, which provides web construction and marketing services to small and medium businesses. The company also owns one-third of creditcheck.com.au, an online credit-checking facility.

Meanwhile, mp3.net.nz, which has been set up by Auckland entertainment lawyer Chris Hocquard, launches on Monday.

While representatives of the company refused to speak to the Business Herald before the official launch, the site, designed by Cyberelves, is already operational.

Users may download low-quality previews of tracks from an impressive variety of artists in different genres before downloading the full version for $2.50.

But mp3.co.nz and mp3.net.nz both appeared to be unaware of the existence of nzmp3.co.nz, which is already offering over 100 locally produced MP3 tracks online.

Nzmp3.co.nz is operated by Raglan-based Mike Bell, who also sells MP3 players under the trading name of Decibellz.

No charge is made for the music but Mr Bell is seeking advertisers to take space on the site, which he claims is receiving 1000 hits a day.

The MP3 format, which allows internet users to download near-CD-quality music tracks in digitally compressed form and play them on PCs or purpose-built portable players, has been the source of considerable controversy overseas. In the United States sites such as napster.com have been accused of breaking copyright laws by providing a forum for users to swap their music collections over the net.

Terence O'Neill-Joyce, of the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand, said none of the local MP3 sites had contacted him, but his organisation had no mandate to license MP3 releases anyway.

Where permissions were granted, they were by record companies directly, usually on a global basis.

"We don't have a problem with the technology, provided that the operators put a framework in place to make sure no one is disallowed their rightful remuneration."


Links


Ehyou.com

mp3.com.au

OzHosting.com

Sprint.com.au

creditcheck.com.au

Nzmp3.co.nz

Napster.com