Bronfman Interviewed
BusinessWeek.com has an interview with Warner Music Group head honcho Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
He has nothing to add on last week's rejection of EMI's bid, but does have plenty so offer on other topics. On the value of a music company:
"Music companies have two areas where they add value. One is the editorial side of the business -- finding and nurturing talent. The second is the marketing of those artists, bringing them through a massive number of different channels and promoting their music. Warner Music is large enough to do both and to continue to grow."
On variable pricing for digital downloads:
"The issue is not what's the proper price for a song. People have often interpreted our wish for variable pricing as a way to increase prices. Variable pricing means that some prices would fall, some would stay the same, and probably very few would rise. My concern is that when everything is the same price, it becomes commodity-like. So while tracks remain on iTunes at 99 cents, I think you'll see tracks with lyrics, tracks with videos, all kinds of things where that pricing will move. There will be experimentation while the price of a single track remains at 99 cents."
Music Groups