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Gateway as Content Distributor?

Posted by timothy on from the things-change dept.

crovira writes "CNet has an article about Gateway testing the waters of the music business and using their retail stores as music outlets." crovira excerpts: "So far, Gateway executives have not specified exact plans that the company will pursue, but they have indicated that it could position itself as a conduit for content from established and new artists. Turner also indicated that Gateway is contemplating bypassing the titans of the music industry if necessary. 'We have retail stores that aren't beholden to the music industry,' Turner said. 'There are a lot of artists out there.'" Makes one wonder if the xxAAs will roll-over and take their tithe or if they'll try to find some anti-competitive legal maneuvering leverage to keep Gateway out? And can Apple be far behind with video services out of their own retail outlets?"

6 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Now you can... by Zen+Mastuh · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. Listen to music geared toward the Lowest Common Denominator
    2. on a machine geared toward the Lowest Common Denominator.
    Neat.

    --
    "What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
  2. Gateway often goes against the big guys by zoombat · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I don't have many feelings (positive or negative) for Gateway's products, but I must say I've been rather impressed with Gateway's rebellion against some big players. They've gone against the DMCA before, and they testified against Microsoft...

    I'm not trying to say that Gateway is some sort of Utopian selfless corporation or anything, but I just have to cheer when I see big-name companies taking on the big bullies.

  3. Apple as a Content provider by danielkdwalker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    IIRC, Apple are legally unable to sell music due to a deal with Apple Music (of Beatles fame) way back when. Not sure if this still applies. IANAL

  4. How The Music Industry Can Keep Gateway Out by SloppyElvis · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The big players in the music industry don't have a monopoly on talent. Just look at the crap-slingers on the Billboard Top 40, and tell me nobody else has this type of "star power", and I won't listen to you anymore, because it would waste my precious time.

    Now Gateway comes along, trying to salvage getting its butt whooped by Dell in the home pc market, thinking it can capitalize on this fact.

    Here's the problem, if you want to make stars (like the music industry most certainly does), than you need to get them exposure. The web isn't bad for distribution, but promotion is tough. The simple reason is there is just too much out there for people to focus in on a group or two and make superstars out of them. In the music business, people are spoon-fed the next big thing; they make a selection from a limited pool of applicants.

    Now, if the music industry tells the radio conglomerates not to air artist so-and-so, you can bet your arse you won't be hearing them. If Bobby and Sally Teen USA don't see your awesome band on MTV, then they could only ever be "a great underground band". To Gateway's dismay, great underground bands don't usually make top dollar like the industry puppets do [save your counter-examples, I speak in the general sense].

    So, the music industry can easily prevent Gateway from impinging on their turf by leveraging their might concerning radio and television against Gateway. Without these conduits of distribution, Gateway's plan is more hype than hope, I'm afraid.

  5. Hardware less profitable by nucal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder if the "hidden" message here is that Gateway sees PC sales to continue to be weak and they are desperately looking to do something with all of those retail outlets ...

  6. Re:new business model by johnjones · · Score: 5, Interesting

    yeah its called streaming

    wake up Video + music will be on a server and you select what you want when you want it

    the tradtional ISP is gone as soon as the Mobile networks have enough bandwidth to do Video

    that way if you have a TV/STB then you put in SIM chip and recive what you want paying for rentels via sim(what we think of as the phone)

    and if you want music plug in you earjacks into phone and away you go

    I have not seen a single new phone (based on OMAP) that cant do streaming MP3

    its only a matter of time until the networks (mobile) work out this revenue generator and kick the cable co/baby bel/incumbant ARSE

    muh hahaha

    regards

    john jones