Hollywood leaders are trying to set what we can watch

[ylexot]

A few months ago they launched an online music store and any download is available for 88 cents...11 cents cheaper than the most popular store, iTunes. But they are only offering edited versions of explicit tracks. So Wal-Mart is able to offer downloads cheaper than anyone else because of their buying power, then gives the customers edited versions of explicit tracks. American Public decides to buy all their Hillary Duff songs from Walmart.com, where does that leave iTunes? They would either be forced to raise prices or end their business...that won't happen right now because Wal-Mart uses a proprietary format that is incompatible with the most popular MP3 player, the iPod. But you see where I'm going with this....why limit our choices?

Now this is just plain stupid. If you want the explicit lyrics, you point your browser to itunes instead of Wal-Mart and pay the whopping 11 cents. Is it worth those 11 cents? To some people it is. To others it isn't. Wal-Mart is shooting themselves in the foot by using a "proprietary format" (let me guess...wma?) if the most popular player doesn't support that. Likewise, Apple is shooting themselves in the foot while trying to protect a non-existant monopoly by not supporting formats other than mp3. And "where does that leave iTunes? They would either be forced to raise prices or end their business" is just itunes can easily lower their price to match and take back the business. As the largest online music distributer, they have a lot of clout and have the same overhead and royalties to pay as Wal-Mart. They're just trying to get more profit, damn the loss in sales.

 

[vraiblonde]

Wal*Mart actually responded to customer demand for the "smut removed" CDs as I remember it. There was a bunch of bally hoo at the time, but the Wal*Mart customers overwhelmingly wanted the edited CDs.

Oh darn. Beat me to it.

 

[truby20]

Now this is just plain stupid. If you want the explicit lyrics, you point your browser to itunes instead of Wal-Mart and pay the whopping 11 cents. Is it worth those 11 cents? To some people it is. To others it isn't.

Well my point was that an online music store probably won't be able to have a viable business only selling non edited explicit tracks.

Wal-Mart is shooting themselves in the foot by using a "proprietary format" (let me guess...wma?) if the most popular player doesn't support that. Likewise, Apple is shooting themselves in the foot while trying to protect a non-existant monopoly by not supporting formats other than mp3.

iTunes is also using a proprietary format (AAC) but that really doesn't help the argument that I'm trying to make

As the largest online music distributer, they have a lot of clout and have the same overhead and royalties to pay as Wal-Mart.

Don't you think Wal-Mart has more leverage in terms of pricing compared to Apple? I admit I know very little of the music business but I find it hard to believe that Wal-Mart can't bargan a better price from Sony or Universal even though they are the number one brick and mortar music seller.

 

[ylexot]

Well my point was that an online music store probably won't be able to have a viable business only selling non edited explicit tracks.


iTunes is also using a proprietary format (AAC) but that really doesn't help the argument that I'm trying to make

Don't you think Wal-Mart has more leverage in terms of pricing compared to Apple? I admit I know very little of the music business but I find it hard to believe that Wal-Mart can't bargan a better price from Sony or Universal even though they are the number one brick and mortar music seller.

:truby20digsholedeeper:
what point were you trying to make? Whatever it was, you failed miserably.

 

[vraiblonde]

Think of it this way, Truby - you're paying 11 cents less for a Wal-mrt download because you're getting less music, i.e not the full version.

 

[Tonio]

I apologize for the things I said to everyone, and apologies especially to Vrai and to Pete.

 

[2ndAmendment]

I apologize for the things I said to everyone, and apologies especially to Vrai and to Pete.

Takes guts to do that.