


Urbandale officials have talked with representatives of Fair Grounds LLC, a group owned by Gary Kirke and Mike Richards. They oversee Wild Rose Entertainment, which operates casinos in Clinton and Emmetsburg.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie told The Des Moines Register that Iowa has too much gambling already.
“I don’t stand in favor of the expansion of gambling in the state of Iowa at all, and I wouldn’t be in favor of this expansion, either,” Cownie said.
Des Moines Councilman Skip Moore said an Urbandale casino would cut into profits at the county-owned Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona. Those profits are used to defray bond payments for the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Without that revenue, taxpayers would have to pony up.
Des Moines’ share of profits from Prairie Meadows runs from $5 million to $6 million a year. The money goes for police and fire protection in the city, bridges and streets and helps the city keep property taxes in check.
Gambling industry critic Mitch Henry, of Des Moines, said Prairie Meadows returns nearly 20 percent of its adjusted gross receipts to the community. Privately owned casinos, such as the one proposed for Urbandale, are required under Iowa law to provide only 3 percent, he said.
The Urbandale casino developers are expected to make an appearance at an Urbandale planning and zoning commission meeting Oct. 8. If the commission were to approve the project, it would go before the City Council.
Chairman Jeff Lamberti of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission said the commission hasn’t talked about the Urbandale plan and hasn’t scheduled any discussion so far. But he said he talked to one of the developers, Kirke, several months ago about a second casino in Polk County.
Their talks didn’t get into specifics, Lamberti said.
Des Moines Mayer Cownie against casino complex in Urbandale :: GamingToday-com

Adam Billing died from multiple injuries after he was seen launching himself from the Moorswater Viaduct in Liskeard, on April 11.
At an inquest in Truro yesterday his family described how he had become trapped by debts accumulated from online gambling websites.
His distraught mother, Karen, said: "It was clear that he had run up considerable debts in the last months of his life."
She added: "I had no idea he had become effectively addicted to gambling."
After suffering a knee injury which curtailed his footballing career and a serious assault, Mrs Billing said she believed her son was "vulnerable to the lure of gambling".
At the close of the inquest, which recorded a verdict that he had taken his own life, in a statement on behalf of her husband, Bill, and daughter, Shelley, Mrs Billing added how "vast amounts of money can be lost so easily, just by clicking a button.
"Those gambling get embroiled, not acknowledging they are losing real money."
The inquest heard that Mr Billing had previously suffered from depression and had attempted an overdose.
However, his family said that after meeting his girlfriend, Jenny Dodds, he appeared happier than ever.
Read More: Online betting debts sparked tragic suicide | This is Cornwall

Vendors that supply services to the Gaming Industry in Nevada for Player Identity & Location Validation must be licensed by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and meet the stringent requirements for the company and its officers. By moving forward with this license GambleID has positioned itself as the only company with the technical solutions & experience as well as the legal qualifications to provide these services in this highly regulated industry.
As a solution for Player Identity and Location Validation GambleID knew that a market leader in regulatory licensing and corporate compliance was a "must have"; that is why they have retained the law firm of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, & Schreck, LLP. (Home - Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP -- Always There) to help guide and ensure their compliance within this industry. Dennis Gutwald, of BHFS, states, "Achieving a gaming license in Nevada is an important step for technology providers in this new era of Online Gaming. Technology is a driving factor in this industry and GambleID is taking the steps needed to be a leader in the customer compliance solutions market."
Read more here: GambleID Moves Forward with Online Gaming License & Strategic Advisors - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee

Adam Billing was found at the foot of Moorswater Viaduct in Liskeard on April 11 shortly after he sent an agonised text to his family saying he was sorry.
In his van parked nearby were several suicide notes and numerous bank statements indicating he was heavily in debt and had taken money from the building company he ran with his best friend.
At the end of an inquest in Truro on Wednesday, at which Cornwall Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon recorded a verdict of suicide, Adam's heartbroken mother, Karen; father, Bill; and sister, Shelley; paid tribute to a young man whose life was ruined by gambling.
They said Mr Billing, a former Liskeard, Dobwalls and Plymouth Argyle footballer, had "lived his life to the full, packing more into his 27 years than most of us will do in a whole lifetime".
However, they said their fun-loving "joker" had been left depressed by a knee injury which hindered his sporting achievements and an assault in which his ear had been bitten off.
"It is the family's opinion that Adam turned to online gambling after a number of personal circumstances left him at a low ebb and made him vulnerable to the lure of online gambling," said Mrs Billing.
"Unfortunately, within a few weeks, Adam became caught in a vicious circle and could not see a way out."
She said the family had approached their MP, Sheryl Murray, to investigate curbing the industry. "We feel it is so wrong and there should be restrictions in place so others do not get into the same tragic situation as Adam did."
Read More: Death leap man was ruined by gambling | This is Cornwall

PANAMA CITY, Panama, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Remember the old school days of sports betting, when bets could only be placed before a game or at halftime? Thanks to BetOnline's new and improved live betting software, those old-fashioned days are a thing of the past like corded telephones and VHS tapes.
With the first pitch of this past Tuesday's Cleveland Indians-Chicago White Sox game, BetOnline.ag, a leader in the online sports betting industry, officially took charge of the Live betting for the US market by launching their new Live betting software.
Also known as "in-game betting" and "in-running", Live betting allows the bettor to place wagers on the game as the action happens. In other words, the odds change on the fly every pitch, down and basket. Live betting is popular with bettors looking to hedge their pregame bets or lock-in a guaranteed winner. And it's just as popular for bettors looking to maximize their adrenaline rush by placing bets all game long.
BetOnline.ag was one of the first sportsbooks to offer Live betting nearly two years ago and while that addition was a big hit, their upgraded software is now a home run. It's the best Live betting software on the market and BetOnline.ag's customers will get to enjoy it with a large variety of sporting events.
"A major reason why Live betting is nowhere near as popular in the states as it is in Europe, is due to the fact that the software most Euro sportsbooks utilize is far superior to the software US facing books use. Because of this, Euro books can keep their lines open longer and have a much larger offering," stated BetOnline's Dave Mason. "Well those days are over - American bettors that want to stay in the action well after the opening whistle, with a legit software and offering, finally have a home."
Read more here: BetOnline.ag unleashes new and improved Live betting software - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee

In excerpts from a television interview to air Sunday, a day before his memoirs are published, the former California governor admitted he “inflicted tremendous pain” on his wife Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy political dynasty.
“She gave up her television career for you,” CBS television’s “60 Minutes” journalist Lesley Stahl recalled, referring to Shriver’s previous career. “I mean, wow! Was this just the most unbelievable act of betrayal to Maria?”
Schwarzenegger responded: “I think it was the stupidest thing I’ve done in the whole relationship. It was terrible. I inflicted tremendous pain on Maria and unbelievable pain on the kids.”
Shriver filed for divorce in July last year citing “irreconcilable differences” with her husband, whom she met in 1977 and married in 1986, following him into the California governor’s mansion in 2003.
Schwarzenegger had admitted in May 2011 that he had fathered a child, called Joseph and born in 1997, with the family’s long-time housekeeper, Mildred Baena, and announced the couple’s separation.
The former bodybuilder and Hollywood movie star said Shriver had not read the book.
Read More: Schwarzenegger says love child fling was ‘stupidest’ act | Inquirer Entertainment

The concept: Great. Patronage: More than expected. The setting: Magical. The main act: Talented. The performances: So-so.
That was the feeling one was left with following Walking on Air -- the charity show organised by singer Alaine at Redbones Blues Café in St Andrew on Friday night.
The event was a celebration of the singer's birthday as well as her bid to give back to charities she holds dear -- Allman Town Primary School and Mary's Child.
This was possibly the major pull as by near 10:00 pm, only persons already holding tickets were being admitted inside the venue. Those without just had to find other forms of entertainment.
To help her pull it off, Alaine invited some of her friends -- Sherita Lewis, Chronixx and 'Mr Singy Singy' himself, Tarrus Riley.
Chronixx and Lewis got the ball rolling, each delivering a handful of tracks to warm up the audience.
Alaine would take to the stage by 10:10 pm dressed in a white mini-dress with gold accents and matching shoes which she soon ditches, claiming discomfort.
Backed by the 131 Band, she opened with We Rise, then moved into a series including her own works as well as cover versions.
The next segment would include some of her dancehall tracks. Only For You, Chaka Chaka Love, Wine, and For Your Eyes Only were met with mixed reactions.
Following an intermission, comedian Christopher 'Johnny' Daley would break the ice and the duo Voicemail would render two tunes to support the cause.
Tarrus Riley was next up greeting his audience with Lion Paw, then creating a segue into Never Leave I and his take on Michael Jackson's Human Nature, in the process his stagemanship threatens to take the spotlight. He closes the set with his duet with the birthday girl, Love for Life.
For this second half of the show Alaine moves from white to a black mini number and another pair of shoes which she also kicks off within minutes.
For openers, she does a few tracks which are not from her popular files Smiling, Like a Magnet, It Nuh Matter and Revolution, although they showcased her singing talent, coming after Riley's engaging set, really fell flat.
She could only revive her audience when she got them involved in Bye-Bye and the remix based on a joke earlier in the evening by Christopher Daley who suggested that she use the Jamaican parlance in this track by telling the ex-lover "galang" instead of bye-bye.
The evening would wind down with Walking on Air, the track for which the night was named, Sacrifice and No Ordinary Love.
Read more: Walking on air falls flat - Entertainment - JamaicaObserver-com

That is the day that Jews around the world atone for our sins and ask God to inscribe us for another year in the Book of Life. It is a day we pray for all people of good will to be inscribed in that Book. Emphasis on the good will part.
Meanwhile, back in real life, the United States is preparing for another presidential election, one of the distinctions that sets us apart from almost every other country. We have peaceful transitions of power in the United States, in contrast to so much of what we see and hear on the news about other people around the globe yearning to be free but having great difficulty getting there.
That means for the next five or six weeks, politics will rule the day. It will rule the airwaves, the Internet and pretty much every facet of our waking and, dare I say it, sleeping parts of our lives. Even though most Americans have decided for whom they will vote for all national, state and local offices, there are still a few — hard to believe it — who need more time to decide. And so all we will hear and see until Election Day is the sound of a lot more money being spent to persuade a lot fewer voters. It is all politics, all the time.
But that doesn’t mean that politics does or should determine all that is done for us or to us. Sometimes there are noble reasons why the politicians act the way they do. But, I admit, it is so hard to determine that nobility in the heat of an emotional election cycle.
Based upon what I know to be the case, not what someone on the Internet said or someone at the water cooler whispered — they still have water cooler discussions somewhere, right? — I would like to discuss Internet poker, its importance to Nevada, and the political spin that threatens it and the tens of thousands of jobs to be created and saved in our state.
Read More: Online gaming is more than political - Las Vegas Sun News

Since aldermen allowed video gambling in Springfield in July, more than 70 locations with liquor licenses have applications pending with the Illinois Gaming Board.
In early August, the number was about half that figure. Gaming experts say that number is expected to grow once machines go live and business owners see how everything shakes out.
The spread could mean gamblers nearby whether someone is dining out, having a drink at a tavern or even catching a flight.
Different locations
The only Sangamon County business to have its license approved by the state board so far is It’s All About Wine, 1305 Wabash Ave., located in Jerome.
Joe Volec, co-owner, said he has no experience with gambling but thought having the machines would provide another form of entertainment.
Once state officials give the go-ahead, he said he planned to have the machines installed in a separate room in the back of the store.
“We’re in the wine business first,” he said. “We’re trying to create a fun atmosphere for our customers.”
Some upscale restaurant owners also are seeking to add machines.
Read More: Gaming applications have doubled - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

Lottery officials submitted a report to the state Senate Budget Committee and the House of Delegates Appropriations Committee on Sept. 19 that outlines the proposed program. Stephen Martino, director of the commission, says the goal of the “iLottery” plan is to increase the pool of residents who play the lottery. He said that less than 50% of Marylanders play lottery games a year, and that 66% of players are age 45 or older.
The online lottery “is a way to attract younger players not playing the lottery and increase our playership,” he said.
Ellen Valentino, who heads the Maryland office of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFI😎, opposes the state’s online lottery plan, saying that it will hurt retailers. She added that the commission did not consult Maryland retailers and conducted closed-door town hall meetings on the proposal.
“The majority of the retail community, as they have in all other states, will object,” Valentino told the news source. She also said that the payment method for residents to purchase online lottery tickets resembles online gambling.
The news source explains that the lottery would allow consumers to purchase tickets with their debit cards, a voucher purchased at retail stores or through an online wallet that would link to consumers’ bank accounts. All winnings under $600 would be redeemed at retail locations.
Giving customers an online wallet and letting them scratch-off tickets online “walks a fine line” between Internet ticket sales and online gambling, Valentino said. “Making a distinction between iLottery and iGaming is making a difference without a difference,” she said.
There are 45 days for public comment on the proposal. Beginning today, the nine-member commission panel is changing its name to the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission, a change designated by the General Assembly’s expanded gambling legislation, passed and signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley in August.
Online Lottery Fires Up Maryland Retailers | NACS Online

That's what Dexter Morgan was feeling. He closed his eyes. He exhaled. He was relieved. That sounds bizarre. But I'm sure of it.
That's how the first episode of the seventh season of Dexter ended on Sunday night.
SPOILER ALERT: This is a review of the episode and is meant for people who saw it. If you don't want to know what happened, now's the time to bail.
Okay, so the previous season ended with Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall) and his foster sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) having reached a crossroads in their relationship. Deb had walked in on Dexter just as he was completing one of his patented kills.
So for the entire first episode of the new season, titled "Are you ... ?", Dexter was trying to limit the damage. Or contain the damage. Yes, Deb knew the truth. But she didn't know the WHOLE truth. Dexter was determined to keep Deb in the dark about that.
It didn't work.
The final scene has Dexter entering his apartment, only to find his place torn apart, and Deb sitting there. In front of her is all of Dexter's killing equipment and paraphernalia and souvenirs, including his blood slides.
"Did you kill all these people?" Deb asks coldly.
Dexter has no choice but to come clean.
"I did," he says.
And then the big question.
"Are ... are you a serial killer?" Deb says.
The entire run of Dexter has been leading up to this moment.
"Yes," he answers.
Finally, there it is.
And I swear, Dexter is relieved. His life as he knew it is over. But being a serial killer, even one who's trying to live by a code, is a lot to carry around on your own.
Read More: 'Dexter' premiere breathes sigh of relief | Television | Entertainment | Chatham Daily News

The eSports phenomenon and its offshoots have reaped profits for leading video game companies and gotten the attention of traditional entertainment companies. Activision/Blizzard’s Diablo III sold 3.5 million copies in its first 24 hours. CBS has signed partnership deals with players in the game leagues and live streaming world including Own3D, North American Star League (NASL), Twitch.tv and Major League Gaming (MLG). But arguably this progression of online competition into the mainstream is only the beginning. A number of new companies from gaming start-ups to internally funded casino enterprises are betting that the introduction of legalized online gambling in the US will be the catalyst that drives the market to the next level by creating a whole new kind of ecosystem.
Read More: What eSports Can Tell Us About the Future of Online Gambling - Forbes

The religious aspect is strong in Barbados with strong words coming from Dr. John Holder, Archbishop of the West Indies and the Bishop of Barbados who was quoted in the press as saying, the ‘get rich quick’ mentality encouraged by gambling goes against God’s intention that ‘by the sweat of his brow, man shall eat bread’. Adhering to the scriptures is what church leaders do and the Church in Barbados is no exception but limited. The article does ask many questions such as why are slot machines considered alright whereas black tables and other casino games are taboo. The religious leaders seem to turn a blind eye when it comes to the gambling that is legal in Barbados.
The interesting part of this debate is the online gambling issue where the author also points out that anyone with a credit card and a computer can gamble on just about anything they wish in the comfort of their hotel, beach hut or home. This is the current reality which officials on the beautiful island have not been able to do anything about.
The Attorney General of Barbados Adriel Brathwaite, pointed out in Parliament recently, that there are a number of national institutions which benefit from the proceeds of the legal forms of gambling, lending gambling an air of respectability.
Debate in Barbados Over Casinos Includes Online Gambling

The agreement calls for an initial payment of €15 million ($19.3 million), with additional payments over the next five years up to €10 million ($12.9 million) that is dependent on how widespread online gambling becomes in the United States during that time. The exact payment amount will take into consideration the number of states that legalize Internet gambling, as well as the population covered. The Ongame Network currently ranks fifth in worldwide player traffic, according to recent PokerScout figures.
Shuffle Master reached an agreement with Bwin.party to purchase Ongame in March for €19.5 million that also included a provision for further payments up to €10 million over five years pending "the commencement of legalized, real-money online poker in the U.S." However, Shuffle Master decided to pull out of the deal three months later citing a declining European market and an uncertain regulated Internet gambling market in the U.S.
Amaya hopes to expand its reach in the European and American markets and "looks forward to unleashing Ongame’s technology to its full potential through the leveraging of our many B2B relationships and delivering new partners and players to the network," said company CEO David Baazov. "We’re excited about the wide range of opportunities this acquisition makes possible for us as we execute on our vision."
The Amaya Gaming Group was founded in 2004 and provides online and mobile casino gaming platforms worldwide through its Montreal headquarters. Bwin.party is the result of a merger between Bwin Interactive and Party Gaming last year. Bwin operates a poker skin on the Ongame Network that is scheduled to migrate to the PartyPoker site prior to finalization of the acquisition agreement.
"The sale of Ongame conforms to our strategy, especially as we move closer to launching our single, proprietary technology platform in the next few months," Bwin.party co-CEO’s Norbert Teufelberger and Jim Ryan said in a statement. "We believe Ongame will fit well into Amaya Gaming and has an excellent future ahead."
Amaya Gaming Purchases Ongame Network

What form I-gaming will take and how it will be regulated are anyone's guess, but the industry already is creating interactive products that will allow anyone who frequents a casino to enjoy favorite slot machines or table games online, in virtual versions that look identical to those on the casino floor.
The idea, said Mike Trask, spokesman for game-manufacturer Bally Technologies Inc., is "for the . . . customer to have the same experience whether online, in the casino, or waiting in line at the grocery store, while playing games on an iPhone, iPad, Android, and other tablets - anything with an Internet connection."
A proposal in Congress calls for legalizing online poker nationwide. Meanwhile, states look for ways to do it themselves, said Frank Fahrenkopf Jr., chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association (AGA).
This year, Nevada became the first state to legalize and implement regulations for online poker. During the summer, Delaware authorized a wider array of online casino-style games, and California and New Jersey are weighing legislation. (Online gaming has not yet hit the legislative agenda in Pennsylvania, Gaming Control Board spokesman Doug Harbach said.)
"The entire gaming industry is anxious to see more clarity on the legality of online gambling," Fahrenkopf said at a news conference Tuesday on the $36 billion-a-year U.S. casino industry overall. "The AGA supports states having the right to license and regulate online poker, but not without federal minimum standards that address consumer protection, prevent underage gambling, promote responsible gaming, and provide help for those with gambling problems."
Such concerns have stymied passage of a federal bill for years, said Les Bernal, who heads the national group Stop Predatory Gambling.
Read More: Internet gaming dominates the agenda at industry confab in Las Vegas

Ahead of next week's communication, this was the main message from the EU representative body for the online gambling industry.
Sigrid Ligné, secretary general of European gaming and betting association (EGBA), called for 'hard' action from the commission to protect consumers.
Speaking in Brussels, she said, "We deplore the situation today where we see 27 'mini-markets' for gambling in Europe.
"We are calling for the introduction of European rules to ensure proper protection for consumers and maintain a crime-free environment throughout the EU, while affording open, fair and transparent licensing conditions for EU-regulated operators."
Her comments come as the commission prepares to unveil its "communication and action plan on online gambling" on 10 October.
She added, "What is ultimately needed is overarching EU legislation for online gambling, as there is for virtually all other online services. The objective is to have EU-wide, sector specific legislation that regulates both market access and consumer protection issues."
Ligné also announced that the association, which represents online gambling operators at an EU-wide level, has lodged a formal complaint with the commission against proposed new gambling legislation in Germany.
The EGBA claims that the draft laws are 'incompatible with the EU treaty'.
Ligné added, "Together with other industry partners, EGBA has this week lodged an official complaint with the commission against the revised German gambling law.
Read More: EU commission set to unveil online gambling blueprint: theparliament-com

Some bricks and mortar casinos are teaming with online game developers, and casino executives say they are rushing to put in place safeguards on their own services that would combat fraud, money laundering, underage and compulsive gambling, and players falsifying their location.
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"Online gaming is here. Our biggest challenge is converting the 25 to 35 year old to becoming participants in our industry," said Brian Gamache, chief executive of slot machine maker WMS Industries Inc at the annual Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.
WMS expects to soon announce partnerships to provide online game platforms to land-based casino operators to help capture the younger market.
The U.S. Justice Department last year declared that only online betting on sporting contests is unlawful, which experts say will allow states to unilaterally legalize some forms of online gambling, from lotteries to poker.
MGM has teamed with developer Playstudios, a company founded by former Wynn Resorts executive Andrew Pascal, to create a platform for online slots, blackjack and other traditional games.
Read More: Gambling chiefs race for share of U.S. online gaming - chicagotribune-com

Jim Ward, a committee director at the NCSL, said: “It’s frustrating because they are overseeing a successful stewardship of the gaming industry. It’s not clear why any federal intervention is necessary. ... It’s a sensitive topic for the states any time you talk about preemption.”
The formal statement of the NCSL begins: “The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) believes the federal government must respect the sovereignty of states to allow or to prohibit Internet gambling by their residents.” It continues: “NCSL requests Congress consider the perspective of the states as it examines this issue and asks that it involve state legislators in any federal efforts that seek to reform the regulation of online gaming.”
Reid tried the same tactic after the 2010 midterm elections, when in December of that year, during the lame-duck Congress, he introduced a measure that would have allowed federal officials to approve various sorts of Internet gambling poker games, which are often domiciled in places such as the Isle of Man, to operate in the United States. Las Vegas casinos, in particular, would expect to benefit.
The federal legalization would effectively take authority away from state governments because under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, when states and the federal government both exercise authority in a legislative area, the federal government’s rights supersede those of state governments. Reid explained his reasoning at the time:
Read More: Reid Seeks Federal Online Gambling Law

The newest tech wave is coming in the form of 4G also referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and it is the next step in the evolution of mobile network technology. It is built specifically to handle mobile internet and data more efficiently, allowing faster and more reliable mobile connectivity in a world where data usage is increasing 250% year on year.
There are more than 40 countries that have initiated 4G and are already garnering the benefits of faster mobile networks. One can understand why the USA, Japan and Russia are already using 4G but then there are smaller countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Tanzania that see the benefits of the technology. Research into the potential of 4G in the economy of the United Kingdom done by Capital Economics, estimates that the UK's adoption of 4G could unleash £5.5bn of direct private investment. 4G would support 125,000 jobs and ultimately provide a 0.5% boost to GDP of the U.K. Online gamblers could also reap the rewards of 4G with fast games and more play content.
October 30 is the date set in the U.K. when Everything, Everywhere, launches the first-ever mobile 4G network. The U.K. has been slow to implement the technology a full four years behind the first European launch in Sweden. The service is still limbo for another couple of years nationwide with customers in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast the first to receive the coverage in time for Christmas. 4G coverage will grow to 70 percent by the end of 2013 before reaching 98 percent by 2014.
Mobile Online Gambling Better with 4G Technology
Those are the opening lines of a song that accompanies a "New Myspace" promotional video. The once-mighty social network is trying to stage yet another comeback with the help of Justin Timberlake. The new site, for which people can request an invitation, looks a bit like an entertainment-focused version of Pinterest, with a dash of Twitter and Facebook thrown in.
But Myspace has tried redesigns before, to no avail. Will it work this time?
"If you break my heart a second time, I might never be the same," continues the song, "Heartbeat," by the group JJAMZ.
From the sound if it, Myspace wants to win the hearts and minds of tech-savvy hipsters. Founded in 2003 and initially a fast-rising star, Myspace attracted mostly teenagers and twentysomethings, offering them a place to express themselves online. It peaked in 2008 with some 76 million U.S. visitors in October. The site lost its footing as the fun of customizing profile pages began to bore its users and the site's heavy use of banner advertisements slowed the speed at which pages loaded. At the same time, people were already migrating to Facebook, which counted users 35 and older among its fastest-growing demographic.
The company's new promotional video offers a 2-minute and 18-second peek into a slick, image-heavy site. The site's much cleaner look is a stark contrast to the old Myspace, which users often derided as messy and cluttered. Posted this week, the video promises that Myspace will start "totally from scratch," as if trying to shed its former self. It doesn't say when the new site will launch, only that it's "not ready quite yet."
The new Myspace will let users connect to the site with their Twitter or Facebook accounts, a sign that it won't be competing with those sites as a social networking service. Rather, Myspace will continue with its entertainment focus, as a place to play and discover music, add photos, videos and playlists and connect with artists.
Timberlake, who's featured prominently in the video, will likely play a big part of the MySpace revamp. The former 'N Sync pop star, with a group of other investors, bought MySpace last summer from News Corp. for $35 million, mostly in stock. That was quite a difference from the $580 million that News Corp. paid for the company in 2005, when it was still an Internet darling.
MySpace, of course, isn't Timberlake's first foray into social networking. He played Napster co-founder Sean Parker, a party animal and early Facebook adviser, in Aaron Sorkin's "The Social Network" in 2010.
In August this year, research firm comScore put Myspace's monthly unique visitors at 28 million, making it the 43rd most visited Web property in the U.S. It's behind the likes of not just Google, Facebook and Twitter but startups such as Tumblr, along with the reviews site Yelp and WebMD.
"The new design certainly looks beautiful and it could certainly spur a lot of initial interest," said Clark Fredericksen, spokesman for research firm eMarketer, which used to put out ad revenue estimates for MySpace but no longer does. "But there are going to be significant challenges for any company looking to enter the digital music space. You have a lot of entrenched players who are really successful."
Those players include Spotify, Pandora, Rdio, not to mention Apple Inc.'s iTunes.
There's also the mobile question. It's unclear from the video what plans the new MySpace has for mobile devices such as Android smartphones, iPhones and tablet computers. Fredricksen points out that cloud-based music — streamed over an Internet connection — is shifting toward the mobile platform primarily. We are all on the go with our music. MySpace is entering a crowded market here, too.
Representatives for Specific Media, which owns Myspace, did not return messages for comment Wednesday. Timberlake's publicist also did not return an email for comment. With only the slick demo and the poppy, bittersweet lyrics of the JJAMZ song to offer details about the "New Myspace", these lines stand out:
"Maybe I'm ashamed to want you back. Maybe I'm afraid, you'll never stay."
Mr. Sexy Back tries to bring Myspace back | azfamily-com Phoenix