International Rollout of Amazon MP3 in 2008
Filed under: Americas, Asia-Pacific, Electronics, Europe, Marketing, New Media, Retail, Technology
SEATTLE, Jan 27, 2008 –Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN – News) today announced that in 2008 the company will begin an international rollout of Amazon MP3, Amazon’s DRM-free MP3 digital music store where every song is playable on virtually any digital music-capable device, including the PC, Mac®, iPod®, Zune®, Zen®, iPhone™, RAZR™, and BlackBerry®. Amazon MP3 is the only retailer to offer customers DRM-free MP3s from all four major music labels as well as over 33,000 independent labels.
“We have received thousands of e-mails from Amazon customers around the world asking us when we will make Amazon MP3 available outside of the U.S. They can’t wait to choose from the biggest selection of high-quality, low-priced DRM-free MP3 music downloads which play on virtually any music device they own today or will own in the future,” said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice President of Digital Music. “We are excited to tell those customers today that Amazon MP3 is going international this year.”
Launched on Amazon.com in September 2007, Amazon MP3 offers Earth’s Biggest Selection of a la carte DRM-free MP3 music downloads, which now includes over 3.3 million songs from more than 270,000 artists. Every song and album in the Amazon MP3 music download store is available exclusively in the MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM) software and is encoded at 256 kbps to deliver high audio quality. Amazon MP3 customers are free to enjoy their music downloads using any hardware device; organize their music using any music management application, such as iTunes® or Windows Media Player™; and burn songs to CDs for personal use.
Most songs available on Amazon MP3 are priced from 89 cents to 99 cents, with more than 1 million of the over 3.3 million songs priced at 89 cents. The top 100 bestselling songs are 89 cents, unless marked otherwise. Most albums are priced from $5.99 to $9.99. The top 100 bestselling albums are $8.99 or less, unless marked otherwise. Buying and downloading MP3s from Amazon MP3 is easy. Customers can purchase downloads using Amazon 1-Click shopping, and with the Amazon MP3 Downloader, seamlessly add their MP3s to their iTunes® or Windows Media Player™ libraries.
The company is not disclosing a specific launch timeline for individual Amazon international websites.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – News), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as books, movies, music & games, digital downloads, electronics & computers, home & garden, toys, kids & baby, grocery, apparel, shoes & jewelry, health & beauty, sports & outdoors, tools, auto & industrial.
Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Examples of the services offered by Amazon Web Services are Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), Amazon SimpleDB, Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS), Amazon Flexible Payments Service (Amazon FPS), and Amazon Mechanical Turk.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, and the Joyo Amazon websites at www.joyo.cn and www.amazon.cn.
As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, significant amount of indebtedness, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, and all subsequent filings.
Contact:
Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazon.com Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
http://www.amazon.com/pr
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
Questex Media Acquires FierceMarkets
Filed under: Advertising, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Communications, Data Management, Europe, Finance, M&A, Marketing, New Media, Publishing
New York, NY January 22, 2008 – FierceMarkets (www.fiercemarkets.com), a leading online B2B media company, has announced its acquisition by Questex Media Group, Inc. (www.questex.com), a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider headquartered in Newton, MA.
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (www.jegi.com), a New York-based independent investment bank that specializes in media and information, represented FierceMarkets in this transaction and acted as its exclusive financial advisor.
Based in Washington, DC, FierceMarkets helps business marketers reach targeted decision-makers through its portfolio of e-mail newsletters, web sites, webinars and live events focusing on the Telecommunications, Life Sciences, Healthcare, IT, and Finance industries. The company currently produces 19 targeted online publications, primarily marketed under the Fierce brand, including FierceWireless, FierceBiotech, FierceCIO, FierceHealthcare, FierceFinance and many others.
With 45% compound annual revenue growth over five years, more than 300 repeat advertisers, and triple-digit annual audience growth, FierceMarkets has established itself as a leader in the new generation of fast-growth media companies taking traditional trade publishing into the digital age.
“We at FierceMarkets are thrilled to join Questex,” said Jeff Giesea, Founder and President of FierceMarkets. “Questex has a strong leadership team, a global footprint across numerous complementary markets, and a similar vision of creating a global, diversified B2B media company. I think they’re pretty darn “Fierce”. Combined with our expertise and reach in digital B2B, there is a lot of value we can create together.”
“Jeff and his team have built FierceMarkets into a leading B2B lead-generation organization serving key vertical markets,” added Kerry Gumas, Questex Media’s President and CEO. “Their business model is an excellent fit with Questex’s digital strategy to serve the new and evolving demands of readers and advertisers and facilitate a meaningful connection between the two audiences. We welcome Jeff and his team and look forward to working with them to further Questex’s focus on lead generation and integrated campaigns, which are top of mind for our advertising partners across all vertical markets served.”
About FierceMarkets
FierceMarkets, a leader in B2B e-media, provides information and marketing services in the Telecommunications, Life Sciences, Healthcare, IT, and Finance industries through its portfolio of e-mail newsletters, web sites, webinars, and live events. Every business day, FierceMarkets’ wide array of publications reaches more than 560,000 executives in over 100 countries. Current publications include: DailyTechRag; FierceBiotech; FierceBioResearcher; FierceBroadbandWireless; FierceCIO; FierceDeveloper; FierceFinance; FierceHealthcare; FierceHealthIT; FierceIPTV; FierceMobileContent; FiercePharma; FierceSarbox; FierceTelecom; FierceVoIP; FierceWireless; FierceWireless:Europe; IT-Wireless; and The Business VoIP Report.
About Questex Media
Questex Media Group, Inc. is a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider that serves multiple industries including technology, telecommunications, beauty, spa, travel, hospitality, leisure, abilities, home entertainment, landscape design, building services and natural resources through a range of well-established, market-leading publications, events, interactive media, research, information and integrated marketing services. The company’s media properties include over 100 print and digital media publications, 45 conferences, tradeshows and events, and a range of research, data and information products. The company’s operations include more than 400 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe.
About JEGI
The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI) of New York, NY is a leading independent investment bank for the media and information industries. As a leading M&A advisor to media and information companies, JEGI has closed numerous high-profile transactions for: Global Media and Information Companies; Entrepreneurial Owners; and Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds. JEGI has established an impeccable reputation in the marketplace, which reflects its superior performance on behalf of its clients. The firm’s executive team of investment bankers has over 200 years of combined experience across the media and information market sectors that JEGI serves.
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PR Contacts
Adam Gross
212-754-0710
adamg@jegi.com
ExL Pharma presents Digital Pharma- Oct22-24, Princeton NJ
Filed under: Americas, Biotech, Business, Education, Internet, Marketing, New Media, Pharma
Digital Pharma will deal with the convergence of traditional marketing and eMarketing-and unlike any other conference in the industry, we will put a spotlight on Web 2.0, social media; consumer generated content, online communities, and the many other hot applications of the second generation of the internet. Digital Pharma also focuses on eMarketing already in place-eCRM, branded/unbranded sites, email marketing, SEM, and how traditional marketing, eMarketing and Web 2.0 will integrate. The way the Pharma industry communicates with and learns from physicians, patients and consumers is changing. Learn from the 14 Pharma speakers planned for this event. Click Here for More Info
SEO Firm Launches Guaranteed Search Engine Optimization for Law Firms
Filed under: Americas, Internet, Legal, Marketing, New Media
Sep 21, 2007, Tampa, Florida, USA (Newstron): Adviatech Corp., a search engine optimization and online marketing company based in Tampa Florida, launched their guaranteed search engine optimization plan last week which offers a refund in the event that the client’s web site is not ranked on the first page of Google. Now, as an extension to their Guaranteed SEO plan, Adviatech has released an online marketing package custom made for lawyers and law firms.
In a statement released today by Adviatech Corp., the company explained why they have selected attorneys for their first market specific search engine optimization plan.
“Search engine optimization for lawyers and law firms takes somewhat of a different approach then most SEO project plans. Attorneys are usually in regional markets so we have to focus our energy on not just making their content relevant to their area of practice but also keep the wordage focused on the regional keywords and keyphrases.”
While the content search engine optimization practices are a little different then that of projects related to national keywords or keyphrases, link building efforts are also a little different. Adviatech has established relations with a network of directories, forums, blogs, and newswires relevant to lawyers and the legal industry to establish link partnerships with on behalf of their lawyer search engine optimization clients.
Adviatech Corp., Vice President, Jason Bland, commented:
“We have built a plan that is so powerful and affective, that we are able to back it up with our money back guaranty. We also have priced the lawyer search engine optimization package to be affordable for all law firms and individual practicing attorneys. We understand that many law firms are also small businesses so its important that our plan is affective and affordable.”
To learn more, visit http://www.adviatech.com/lawyer_seo_search_engine_optimization.htm.
Google Intends to Bid in Spectrum Auction
Filed under: Americas, Government, Internet, Marketing, Mobile, Telecom
Google Intends to Bid in Spectrum Auction If FCC Adopts Consumer Choice and Competition Requirements
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 20 -– Google announced today that should the Federal Communications Commission adopt a framework requiring greater competition and consumer choice, Google intends to participate in the federal government’s upcoming auction of wireless spectrum in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band.
In a filing with the FCC on July 9, Google urged the Commission to adopt rules for the auction that ensure that, regardless of who wins the spectrum at auction, consumers’ interests are served. Specifically, Google encouraged the FCC to require the adoption of four types of “open” platforms as part of the license conditions:
* Open applications: Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
* Open devices: Consumers should be able to utilize a handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;
* Open services: Third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms; and
* Open networks: Third parties (like internet service providers) should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee’s wireless network.
Today, as a sign of Google’s commitment to promoting greater innovation and choices for consumers, CEO Eric Schmidt sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, stating that should the FCC adopt all four license conditions requested above, Google intends to commit a minimum of $4.6 billion to bidding in the upcoming 700 MHz auction.
The complete text of the letter follows:
July 20, 2007
Ex Parte via Electronic Filing
The Honorable Kevin J. Martin
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Re: WC Docket No. 06-150; PS Docket No. 06-229; WT Docket No. 96-86
Dear Chairman Martin:
Google shares your bold vision of using the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction to encourage much-needed competition in the wireless and broadband markets. I want to personally applaud your leadership and courage in making the public case for new market entry, and the tangible benefits it will offer all American consumers, including greater availability, higher speeds, and lower prices.
As you know, Google submitted an ex parte letter on July 9th explaining that, in order to promote genuine competition, the Commission must include open platforms as part of the applicable licensing requirements for paired commercial blocks in the Upper 700 MHz Band. In particular, our July 9th letter requested that the Commission should extend to all CMRS-type spectrum licensees clearly delineated, explicitly enforceable, and unwavering obligations to provide (1) open applications, (2) open devices, (3) open wholesale services, and (4) open network access.
The Commission’s draft order for the 22 MHz “C” Block in the Upper 700 MHz Band reportedly allocates this block on a REAG basis subject to combinatorial bidding and includes some reference to “open access” principles. While these all are positive steps, unfortunately the current draft order falls short of including the four tailored and enforceable conditions, with meaningful implementation deadlines, that consumer groups, other companies, and Google have sought. In short, when Americans can use the software and handsets of their choice, over open and competitive networks, they win.
It is also my understanding that the Commission’s draft order includes a reserve price of $4.6 billion for the “C” Block, apparently to address unsupported claims about any impact from adopting open platforms conditions. We hereby inform you that, should the Commission expressly adopt the four license conditions requested in our July 9th letter – with specific, enforceable, and enduring rules – Google intends to commit a minimum of $4.6 billion to bidding in the upcoming auction.
Sincerely yours,
Eric Schmidt
cc: The Honorable Michael J. Copps, FCC Commissioner
The Honorable Jonathan S. Adelstein, FCC Commissioner
The Honorable Deborah Taylor Tate, FCC Commissioner
The Honorable Robert M. McDowell, FCC Commissioner
About Google Inc.
Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top Web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.
Media Contacts:
Adam Kovacevich
Google
202-742-6598
akovacevich@google.com
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