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Music site Last.fm bought by CBS

News Type: Event — Seeded on Wed May 30, 2007 9:11 AM EDT
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Social music site Last.fm has been bought by US media giant CBS Corporation for $280m (£140m), the largest-ever UK Web 2.0 acquisition.

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{"commentId":743422,"authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
Michael Sautter

Is this good for Last.fm users?

{"commentId":743422,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"michaelsautter"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:14 AM EDT
{"commentId":743546,"authorDomain":"mattcoxonline"}
coxy

No.

{"commentId":743546,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"mattcoxonline"}
  • 7 votes
#1.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 10:04 AM EDT
{"commentId":743757,"authorDomain":"evhan"}
evhan

It'll be interesting to see what changes are implemented in the few months after the acquisition.

That said, if CBS screws up last.fm, heads will roll.

{"commentId":743757,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"evhan"}
  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 11:06 AM EDT
{"commentId":743913,"authorDomain":"mattcoxonline"}
coxy

Personally, I don't think it will so much of a bad thing if CBS let Last.fm keep control - like they claim they are going to. It just gives Last.fm a stable financial situation.

I'm just disappointed that they're no longer running independent of larger corporations.

{"commentId":743913,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"mattcoxonline"}
  • 3 votes
#1.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 11:51 AM EDT
{"commentId":744532,"authorDomain":"rhodezone"}
rhodezone

Well, it was good while it last.fmed. I'm not into yet another place for CBS to push its artists or programming, or the fact that CBS owns my listening habits. I'm off to delete my account.

{"commentId":744532,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"rhodezone"}
  • 2 votes
#1.4 - Wed May 30, 2007 2:52 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":743477,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
Eric Atienza

I'll remain optimistic yet skeptical.

He added: "Their demographics also play perfectly to CBS's goal to attract younger viewers and listeners across our businesses."

I don't like this quote and it's a bit more ominous to me with the plans to revive the CBS Records record label.

{"commentId":743477,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
  • 9 votes
Reply#2 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:36 AM EDT
{"commentId":744012,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}
Scott (Scoop) Butki

Oh, man, I really like Last.FM and I fully expect CBS will find some way to screw it up.

First, TV Without Pity gets bought and now this.

Argh. I hate it when some of my favorite "independent" sites get bought up but
I guess I should not be surprised.

{"commentId":744012,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"sbutki"}
  • 7 votes
Reply#3 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:18 PM EDT
{"commentId":744025,"authorDomain":"PHATjoe"}
PHAT Joe

so long as its still free... otherwise its back NPR archives and man some of those shows are depressing!

PS. I wish my office wouldn't block the XM stream that I PAY for... life would be so much better if I could listen to XM all day

{"commentId":744025,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"PHATjoe"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#4 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:19 PM EDT
{"commentId":744134,"authorDomain":"wolfger"}
wolfger

You might pay for XM, but do you pay for your office's bandwidth? Probably not, eh?

{"commentId":744134,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"wolfger"}
  • 3 votes
#4.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:48 PM EDT
{"commentId":744225,"authorDomain":"PHATjoe"}
PHAT Joe
You might pay for XM, but do you pay for your office's bandwidth? Probably not, eh?

Nope, neither do I pay for the water or electricity, furniture, computer, parking space, the coffee and tea that I drink every day, the napkins and plastic utensils or microwaves I use.

{"commentId":744225,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"PHATjoe"}
  • 5 votes
#4.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:14 PM EDT
{"commentId":745458,"authorDomain":"nickwatts"}
Nick Watts
You might pay for XM, but do you pay for your office's bandwidth? Probably not, eh?

You could say that you do by the work that you do there. Money is not the only payment for work done.

{"commentId":745458,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"nickwatts"}
  • 3 votes
#4.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 8:04 PM EDT
{"commentId":750096,"authorDomain":"wolfger"}
wolfger

If you read the employee handbook, I'm sure it details internet usage rights that you are "paid". In many companies, it amounts to zero.

{"commentId":750096,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"wolfger"}
  • 2 votes
#4.4 - Fri Jun 1, 2007 12:39 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":744178,"authorDomain":"gregplancich"}
Greg Plancich

Hopefully, they'll be like Yahoo and leave the original people in control.

Otherwise, there will be a massive revolt (maybe Pandora could whip up something similar).

{"commentId":744178,"threadId":"108568","contentId":"746546","authorDomain":"gregplancich"}
  • 7 votes
Reply#5 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:00 PM EDT
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