From CNET News.com: "Satellite radio stations and 802.11 wireless networks both broadcast their signals on radio waves separated by only a small buffer. So far, that buffer has kept the millions of 802.11, or Wi-Fi, networks from interfering with radio broadcasts by radio broadcasters Sirius Satellite Radio or XM Satellite Radio.

"A representative for Sirius Satellite on Friday said the company had withdrawn a petition to force controls on 802.11 signals, but she did not comment further. An XM representative declined immediate comment.

"Last year, the radio companies told the Federal Communications Commission they didn't think the relative calm would last and asked the agency to step in. Within a few years, they said, interference from the huge number of people using Wi-Fi's signal will bleed through that buffer and snarl their signals, blasting listeners with the kind of hissing, popping and humming that overwhelms a radio receiver placed too close to a cell phone..."

This entire story is in CNET News.com here.

From Reuters: "Spanish Internet media company Terra Lycos on Tuesday launched an online, radio-style music subscription service that will offer music from four major record labels.

"Terra Lycos said it joined with Listen.com to create the new Web service, Lycos Rhapsody, that will offer access to more than 10,000 albums from artists like Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z. The service, however, does not yet let users download the music or record it on CDs...

"Listen.com has struck deals with Bertelsmann AG's BMG, Sony Corp.'s Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Group Plc's EMI Recorded Music and AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Music Group and many independent labels. Listen.com Chief Executive Sean Ryan said the company was also in talks with Universal.

"Like many Internet media companies, Terra Lycos is feeling the sting from the sharp downturn in advertising spending. Lycos Rhapsody is the company's latest effort to shift away from ad revenues toward paid services...

"Terra Lycos will give Web surfers free access to the service until June 30. After that, users can choose one of three tiers of service. The free tier will offer 20 different radio stations with FM-quality sound.

Read this entire Reuters story here.

...

... This development actually represents Lycos's third foray into online music -- at least in the form of Internet radio. You may recall that Lycos partnered with the now apparently-defunct Westwind Media in spring of 1999 (see Red Herring story here). In May of last year, Lycos announced that their Lycos Radio service was returning, and was to be powered by Radio Central (see RAIN coverage here, second story). Radio Central shut down this past March (RAIN coverage here). ...

The following is a satire piece we've seen in a number of places. We've been unable to identify the original source however (please let us know if you know)...

"Music bosses have unveiled a revolutionary new recording format that they hope will help win the war on illegal file sharing which is thought to be costing the industry millions of dollars in lost revenue. Nicknamed the 'Record,' the new format takes the form of a black, vinyl disc measuring 12 inches in diameter, which must be played on a specially designed 'turntable.'

"'We can state with absolute certainty that no computer in the world can access the data on this disc,' said spokesman Brett Campbell. 'We are also confident that no-one is going to be able to produce pirate copies in this format without going to a heck of a lot of trouble. This is without doubt the best anti-piracy invention the music industry has ever seen.'

"As part of the invention's rigorous testing process, the designers gave some discs to a group of teenage computer experts who regularly use file swapping software such as Limewire and gnutella and who admit to pirating music CDs. Despite several days of trying, none of them were able to hack into the disc's code or access any of the music files contained within it...

"In the new format, raw audio data in the form of music is encoded by physically etching grooves onto the vinyl disc. The sound is thus translated into variations on the disc's surface in a process that industry insiders are describing as 'completely revolutionary' and 'stunningly clever.'

"To decode the data stored on the disc, the listener must use a special player which contains a 'needle' that runs along the grooves on the record surface, reading the indentations and transforming the movements back into audio that can be fed through loudspeakers..."