As the self-imposed, possibly-already-delayed, sometime-in-September-but-we-won't-say-when deadline to launch
MySpace Music approaches, the joint venture appears to be ready to make its debut without a new CEO in place.
An industry source with knowledge of the company's executive search tells me that one of MySpace Inc.'s top dogs -- either CEO Chris DeWolfe and COO Amit Kapur -- will be its official interim CEO as the new site is launched, presumably within a few weeks.
That would represent a victory for those members of its tech staff who have been
asking senior management not to bring in a new executive who would demand last-minute changes, threatening an already "
all-consuming and desperate" launch schedule. Various industry figures, including Topspin Media CEO
Ian Rogers, Providence Equity Partners'
Jim Bankoff,
BigChampagne Inc. chief executive Eric Garland; and Benchmark Capital entrepreneur-in-residence
Dave Goldberg, have already turned down the job, while former CBS Radio president and Universal Music Group executive Andy Schuon is
reportedly among those under current consideration. MySpace still isn't talking about personnel or giving an official launch date, although at least one
report declares that a September 15 launch date is "a lock."
MySpace and three of the four major record labels said in April that it would launch a new music site alongside its existing social network, expected to feature streaming songs and a download store with digital rights management-free tracks. Universal, Warner Music Group Corp. [
WMG] and Sony BMG Music Entertainment Inc. will have stakes in the joint venture alongside MySpace Inc. (itself a division of News Corp. [
NWS]), while struggling EMI Group plc has yet to complete a deal to participate.
-- Paul BonanosSee Aug. 11 post on MySpace Music's CEO search from Tech ConfidentialFor more see
CNET
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