Yesterday I learned about a new online music business (Kerchoonz)
after reading their press release on the Music Industry News Network.
http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=112542
The title is: Kerchoonz' Answer To Digital Dilemna: Pay The Artist.
Their home page is:
http://www.kerchoonz.com/goChoonz/

They claim they've come up with a new business model which lets
registered artists and songwriters share their music and videos with fans while getting paid for every stream and download.

They also say that their music will be DRM and Ad-free, but it appears they will also sell advertising (space?) to generate revenues for their site, or so it appears from this line at the bottom of their press release:
For details on how to Advertise on Kerchoonz contact: David Turner

Have any of you heard of this new venture and what you think? Will this business model work and will they generate enough income to pay the publishers, labels and artists for their music and videos?

Another interesting thing I found on some other Press Releases (by the same company) is this, quote:

"Fans want free music without the hassles of DRM or advertising, while musicians want appropriate compensation for the use of their music," noted Christian Ulf Hansen, former Director of Writer / Publisher Relations BMI Europe. "Kerchoonz recognizes this reality and strikes the right balance by meeting the needs of both musicians and fans."
Source: Articles Base
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-a...z-receives-250000-investment-516369.html

So that brings back the question about how they will generate enough income if they say that fans want FREE music withOUT the hassles of ADVERTISING. Hmmm... so maybe the advertising will not be embedded directly in the music or around the flash player, but on other pages?

Michael

Wow.. domain names that actually mean something or at least are easy to spell must be hard to come by. Soon we'll have

www.shdhrighsuhwcx.com

Brian

Ha ha, thanks funny Brian and probably true to an extent!

Not that many years ago I never thought I would use a software product called "Jing" to share my screenshots, or how about Skype to chat, iPod to play music, Wikipedia to get free info, or SpiralFrog to legally download free music tracks.

I wonder if "Kerchnooz" is a person's name or means something in the UK where this company is based, maybe a local slang or Scottish language word?

Still, I'm curious what folks think of this business model and how it will make a profit.

Michael

it sounds like someone sneezing perhaps.. but if you said it out loud, it would be very hard to spell in that way correctly.. most of the ones you mention above can be spelled by hearing it said.. even if it's a made up word.. even google fits that.

Brian

Okay.. screw that.. they make you give them your contact info to see anything.. that to me screams SCAM.. now they may be totally honest and above board.. but that tactic is right out of the sleeze 101 handbook. They need to change that policy right away.

Brian

Brian,
Thanks for bringing that up, good point!

You'd think they'd be fairly legit (like OurStage) as they recently got backed by a $490,000 investment from the Scottish Co-investment Fund. In other words, doesn't appear like they'll need to "scam" anyone, but it's a bit strange how they are collecting contact info. Guess they want to get everyone on their email list so they send out announcements around their public launch time in Septemeber.

We'll probably be in the "dark" until they come out with more info. Maybe they are being "stealth" to prevent their potential competitors from copying their biz model too easily. We'll see what develops in September.

Michael

Why would anyone EVER sign up for a website and give their info when they have no idea what the site is all about, what it can do, how it works, what it offers or anything else? Seriously.. that's extremely lame at best. Are they REALLY that desperate to build an email list? That speaks volumes already about where they are coming from.

Brian

Speaking of lousy domain names, I was on a panel for a legal education program a few months back, and one of the presenters had a handout with the following: (All of these were legitimate companies that didn't consider how their online name might
appear) These are not made up. Check them out yourself!

1. 'Who Represents' is where you can find the name
of the agent that represents any celebrity. Their Web site
is: www.whorepresents.com

2. 'Experts Exchange' is a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at:
www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a great pen? Look no further than 'Pen Island'. It can be found at:
www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try 'Therapist Finder' at:
www.therapistfinder.com

5. Then there's the 'Italian Power Generator' company. Check it out at:
www.powergenitalia.com

6.'IP computer' software, there's always: www.ip_anywhere.com

7. And the designers at 'Speed of Art' await you at their wacky Web site:
www.speedofart.com

thanks for the laughs stu

LOL
Oh my Stu...that's a riot ! ! ! LMAO

Brian,
They are trying to connect with Fans, Musicians and Industry Pros. Sound familiar? That's exactly what OurStage and a number of other online music sites are doing these days. I guess they've got folks curious to be the first to know what they'll offer on opening day, but I think their press release pretty well explains the fact that it will be Free to both Fans and Musicians.

At the bottom of their press release (on Mi2N) it invites the press & media to contact them:

For Artist, Label & Media information contact:
Phil Knox-Roberts
email: phil@kerchoonz.com
telephone: +44 (0) 207 384 0938 / +44 (0) 7866 626946

For details on how to Advertise on Kerchoonz contact:
David Turner
email: david@kerchoonz.com
telephone: +44 (0) 7967 112263

There, now we now where they "live", he he!
We could simply send David Turner an email to ask how their advertising program works and what it will cost. Who knows, maybe they could also become the next major JPF sponsor?

Michael

Stu,
These are classic, not only because they're believable but appear to be completely real! I wonder if they did this on purpose to generate more hits?

How about this one:
http://www.whynottorushintoadomainnames.com

Michael

Mike-
I wouldn't be surprised if some of them do it on purpose. For example, there's an outfit that promotes events at Lake Tahoe with www.gotahoe.com (I, of course, found them completely by accident).

Stu,
Ha ha... there ought to be a law!

Michael

I'm not just a client, I'm a member!