— EMI YourSoundcheck: After last year unveiling EMI.com, the label has launched an other own-brand, consumer-facing website, YourSoundcheck.com. This one aims to help its A&R activities – it’s “an exclusive online research community”: “It’s all about giving your feedback and telling us what you think. Your response goes directly to the heart of one of the world’s leading music companies.”
— Spotify premium: Another sign Spotify wants to use exclusive releases to drive subscribers – it’s giving its advance online window for Lady Gaga’s new album available only to premium UK subscribers (its recent U2 exclusive was available to all). And further indication Spotify wants to become a platform, not just a service – it’s planning an API that would let other developers integrate its offering with games consoles and other services, CEO Daniel Ek tells Guardian.co.uk.
— Pay-TV: The number of UK homes taking subscription TV on satellite or cable grew by nearly one percent from Q308 to Q408, to 49.5 percent. That’s against 39.3 percent of homes with Freeview. In total, 88.8 percent of homes now have digital TV. See Ofcom’s report.
— Ziggo The Dutch TV operator has launched interactive and on-demand services under the “Ziggo Interactive Television” name. The service includes 10 days’ of catch-up TV from the SBS6, Net 5 and Veronica channels, plus WB and Disney (NYSE: DIS) movies at their DVD release date. Via TMCnet.