26/08/08 Developing: Apple Investigating Chinese iTunes Store Block
Apple is now examining why its iTunes Store is inaccessible to Chinese users, according to information emerging Friday. "We are still investigating," a representative told news service AFP.
Earlier this week, users started noticing that the store was inaccessible from inside China, and subsequent traceroutes pointed to a governmental block. The reason for the block is not entirely clear, though the presence of a pro-Tibetan album download is strongly suspected.
The next moves are likely to set the tone for future content "discussions," specifically those tied to albums like Songs for Tibet. In most cases, the Chinese government demands compliance with various censorship rules, a pill that most American companies must swallow.
26/08/08 Terrestrial Radio Revenues Down 6% In July...
Terrestrial Radio Revenues Down 6% In July...
US-based terrestrial radio revenues slid 6 percent in July, according to figures published by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). The tally, published late last week, showed a 5 percent decline in local advertising revenues, and a 15 percent decline in broader, national advertising. That was offset by a 6 percent increase in off-air revenues, though the pace of that growth has slowed. The revenue information is based on a sample of one-hundred stations, collected by accounting firm Miller Kaplan Arase & Co.
The July assessment follows a string of declines during earlier months, according to RAB reports. In June, the group reported a broader decline of 9 percent, and May produced a drop of 8 percent. In fact, the industry has been posting declines for the past fifteen consecutive months, a trend that predates the current economic malaise. "Radio has entered and seems stuck in a new, discouraging territory with the combined challenges of a secular slide and cyclical recessionary times," commented CL King & Associates analyst Jim Boyle.
26/08/08A Bull Among Bears: Newbury Comics Expanding...
A Bull Among Bears: Newbury Comics Expanding...
Most companies cut costs, shed employees, and table expansion plans during economic downtimes. But for some ambitious players, economic malaise sets the perfect backdrop for an expansion - and market share grab.
In Boston, Newbury Comics is now adopting that aggressive, and more risky, approach. "Every time the economy goes into a recession, that's when you want to invest," company cofounder and chief executive Mike Dreese recently told the Boston Globe. "Virgin just pulled out of town, Tower is bankrupt. If we're going to expand, we should do it now."
Indeed, the company just opened a mega-store in the Boston suburb of Norwood. The massive facility, a former car dealership, offers the perfect space for shows and latte bars, as well as merchandise like clothing, vinyl, DVDs and games. The company also added another store in the city, at Faneuil Hall, a move that cuts an aggressive profile.
Some executives would have trouble stomaching that level of risk, and Newbury is feeling its share of pain. The company pointed to flat sales during the past four years, and a profit dip of 10 percent last year, though Dreese confidently pointed to a diversified product set.
26/08/08 ...And Vinyl Sales Keep Increasing..
The CD is leading the plunge in recording sales, though the decades-old vinyl keeps showing strength. The latest positive report comes from Newbury Comics, part of a broader profile in the Boston Globe. "There’s a huge resurgence in vinyl," chain chief executive Mike Dreese reiterated, while pointing to turntable sales of 600-800 over the past two months.*
In total, the company projected vinyl-specific sales of $1.5 million this year, up 70 percent from 2007. That is part of a steadily ramping format. In June, Newbury pointed to monthly vinyl revenues of approximately $100,000, or $1.2 million annualized.
The trend is being sparked by a number of factors, including nostalgia, more involved product packaging, greater collectability, and the availability of lower-priced turntables. Dreese noted that CDs now account for 43 percent of the broader product mix, down from 75 percent ten years ago.
21/08/08 The iPhone Connectivity Issue: Is Apple on the Case?
The second-generation iPhone is easily the hottest device of the summer, though connectivity issues are now softening the hype. A number of buyers worldwide have been complaining about 3G-specific connectivity problems, including spotty reception and dropped calls.
Now, Apple appears to be addressing the problem through a firmware update, without publicly admitting the issue. The company recently issued the upgrade - OS 2.0.2 - while reservedly pointed to a 'bug fix' release. Just recently, reports suggested that the connection issues were linked to a chip from Infineon, though neither company has confirmed the cause.
The firmware update is automatically triggered during an iTunes sync.
