• Harry Fox Agency is withdrawing its proposed license for MusicNet that grants it the right to stream music online. The basis for the withdrawel is MusicNet's lack of proposal for a new rate in the pending Copyright Royalty Board proceeding. Billboard's Susan Butler outlines a worse case scenario: "Although not stated expressly in the letter, the failure to seal a licensing deal could lead to copyright infringement suits by publishers against digital services not covered by any license." Harry Fox Agency is America's largest agency for mechanical licensing, collection, and distribution agency on behalf of music publishers. (Read article at Billboard.biz)

• Fourteen layoffs at Verve Music Group today, according to a tipster.

• Robert Christgau's "Consumer Guide" is back...at MSN.