Business Channel 2007-01-04&06

You can buy the Beatles' latest album 'Love' here, but not here. Millions of people are legally downloading music over the Internet worldwide. Dance music, classical music, rap music, but they can't buy Beatles music.

Time and again, Apple Records has refused to sell Beatles tunes¹ on iTunes or any other download service. But Fortune Magazine says all that may be changing. Apple and Apple may finally be coming together.

I'm hearing that they are getting very close now. It has been speculated for years that the Beatles would finally go online and, and they always denied it. Now it looks like Apple and Steve Jobs are getting in and they're trying to negotiate an exclusive.

One idea reportedly being discussed--a Beatles-branded iPod like the wildly popular U2 iPod.

More and more people are buying their music exclusively on line. The trend has caused some venerable institutions like this Tower Records in New York City to close their doors, and iconic bands, like the Beatles to rethink the way they sell their music.

Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor at Rolling Stone Magazine, says a Beatles deal with iTunes will be a shot in the arm for the struggling music industry still battling illegal downloads.

The Beatles' going on iTunes would be huge, it would lend tremendous momentum² to this process that has been going on for a while now of making music digitally available. And also, you know, it is the Beatles, there's still a tremendous level of interest in this band and it is the big get.

A Beatles iTunes deal would further cement Apple Computer as the digital music leader. Even as Microsoft Zune and other MP3 players crowd the market. And it might finally settle the epic³ name game battle between Apple - the tech company and Apple - the music label.

This still may not happen tomorrow, after all the Beatles were slow to put their music on CDs, but the industry thinks it is probably inevitable⁴.

At a certain point, you know, you can't seem as if you don't know what is going on in the world of music, and what is going on in the world of music is digital download.

One thing is certain, expecting advertising⁵ and marketing⁶ blitz like no other, if the Beatles and Apple finally decide to let it be.

Maggie Lake, CNN, New York.


venerable adj. Something that is venerable is impressive because it is old or important historically.
Venerable dailies such as the Tokyo Times have shut down.

shot in the arm n. Something inspiring or encouraging.
The general's appearance was a shot in the arm for the weary soldiers.

momentum n. the ability to keep increasing, developing, or being more successful
This campaign is really gaining momentum.

1 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

4 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。