– Publishing rights organization The Harry Fox Agency has struck a licensing deal with lyrics site TuneWiki. The deal covers both lyrics and online track streaming, and extends to TuneWiki’s mobile platform. HFA’s deal is commission-free, meaning the fees collected from TuneWiki will be passed directly to HFA members without any deductions.
– Mobile music platform Melodeo introduced a mobile marketing platform for smartphones, such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices. Starbucks and The Salvation Army are the first two brands onboard. The platform is designed to pair artists and labels with brands, allowing them to either sell or make available free sponsored music in a way that drives traffic to the participating brand as well.
– After 13 months into a five-year exclusivity deal in France, Orange’s iPhone exclusive was ruled illegal by the French competition agency. The agency criticized the Orange/Apple pact for having “grave and immediate” effect on the overall French mobile marketplace and thus, the French consumer, according to tech blog engadget.
