• Circuit City will use Napster's online service to create its own branded music service called Circuit City + Napster. The prices are standard -- $15 for the subscription, $0.99 per track for downloads. I don't understand Circuit City's thinking here. Wal-Mart's download store is nothing much, and Tower's foray into download stores was pitiful. Maybe there's a great opportunity to drive traffic through in-store sales of pre-paid download cards or MP3 players, but those synergies usually turn out to be more of a mirage. (Billboard.biz)

• SoundExchange has reached out to some webcasters -- and released a press release about it -- in the wake of the Copyright Royalty Board's hike of rates paid to labels and artists. "We recognize that there may be certain needs and expectations, as expressed by webcasters in recent days, that might possibly be addressed through direct discussions," said Executive Director John Simson. (Press release)

• The Miami Herald ponders the precipitous drop in Latin music shipments and the disparity between shipments and scans (which were up 5% last year). Latin's digital sales rose by 63% in 2006. (Miami Herald)

• Sony BMG is examining business opportunities in India. (Business of Cinema)