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Talk of the day

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 21, 2008

MySpace wants to be the online place for music

News Corp. has approached the four major record labels to discuss launching an online music service through its popular MySpace social-networking site, music company executives familiar with the talks say. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The media conglomerate envisions a one-stop music service that offers content in various ways, including via free digital streams, as MP3 downloads and through a subscription plan, one of the executives said. Representatives for the recording companies - Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp. and EMI Group PLC - declined to comment.

Web radio ad sales grow loud, clearly

Advertising on Internet music radio stations almost tripled last year as listening grew 26 percent, according to a report by AccuStream iMedia Research. Ad sales increased 194 percent to $80-million in 2007, Accu-Stream said Wednesday. Shoutcast, a unit of Time Warner Inc.'s AOL, had the biggest market share of listening hours, with 48 percent. U.S. Web users spent 4.85-billion hours listening to music on radio sites last year, up from 3.85-billion in 2006, according to Accu-Stream of Salinas, Calif.

Coke powers down caloric content

Coca-Cola Co., the world's largest soft drink maker, will begin selling no-calorie sports drink Powerade Zero in April as it seeks to counter falling U.S. soda sales with more profitable noncarbonated beverages. Powerade Zero uses artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium. The beverage, in mixed berry, strawberry and grape flavors, will go on sale in the United States in April, said Dana Bolden. It will replace the company's Powerade Option, which has 10 calories per serving and is made with the same artificial sweeteners in addition to high-fructose corn syrup. Powerade trails PepsiCo's Gatorade, which is the largest-selling sports drink, according to Beverage Digest, an industry newsletter.

You can have a V8 - by eating soup

Campbell Soup Co., the world's largest soupmaker, will start selling soups under the V8 beverage label later this year to spur sales of more-expensive varieties. Campbell wants to capitalize on the popularity of its V8 vegetable juices by extending the brand into soups. The V8 name, which will replace Campbell's Select Gold Label brand, will increase purchases by health-minded consumers, chief executive Douglas Conant told analysts Wednesday. Campbell has more than doubled U.S. sales of healthier soups, beverages and sauces under Conant, who took charge in 2001 with a goal of cutting salt and fat in his company's products. U.S. supermarkets will start selling the new soups in the third quarter, Campbell said.

Sparkling year for French exports

France's wine and spirit industry scored record exports in 2007, with triple-digit surges in China and an exuberant performance from the star of French wines, Champagne. France sent about $13.8-billion worth of wines and spirits abroad in 2007, an increase of nearly 7 percent year-on-year, the French Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters announced Wednesday.

[Last modified February 20, 2008, 23:58:00]