• News on MTV's Urge music service: It's in "alpha-edge beta testing right now" says MTV Networks chief digital officer Jason Hirschhorn, and "MTV Networks very much influenced" the creation and design of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 media player. Urge will have an early second half release. (paidContent)

• Harriet Brand, former MTV Networks SVP for music, has joined Universal Music Group International as SVP in business development. (Telegraph)

• Universal Music Group's Doug Morris made $17.8 million in 2005...five times more than the head of UMG's parent company, Vivendi Universal. (FT.com)

• Buried at the bottom of this Kings article in the Sacramento Bee is this little gem about the mysterious record label formed by the Maloofs, the owners of the Sacramento Kings. At a benefit concert to honor slain Arco Arena cameraman John Johnson, "the concert will feature Maloof/Interscope Records' new artist, Narwhal." The Maloofs and Interscope have a band named after a whale that looks like a unicorn? They sure do. Here's the band's MySpace page. (Sac Bee)