GrindEFX

Round up of this weeks news:

• Terry explains the new Orphan Works Bill and tells everyone not to succumb to the FUD [READ].

• Mos Def and LNG Clothing come up with a unique way to sell albums; on t-shirts [READ].

• Music streaming service Spotify has upped the quality of its sound to CD level, in a bid to attract more users to its premium service [READ].

• Nate Anderson breaks down Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s options after being handed a $1.92 million fine for copyright infringement [READ].

• The UK’s Official Charts Company (OCC) has revealed that it is “bound to” include streaming music in its future listings [READ].

• ASCAP want public performance royalties every time your phone rings [READ].

• After cutting 33% of staff in the US last week, Myspace have given another 300 international employees the chop [READ].

• Billboard analyzed sales after the introduction of variable pricing and found that unit sales had slightly decreased but overall spending at retail and net revenue to labels had increased [READ].

• RIAA not happy with the $1.92 million fine handed to Jammie Thomas-Rasset for file-sharing 24 songs [READ].

• TV personality Simon Cowell and British retail billionaire Sir Philip Green are joining forces to launch a new global entertainment company that will produce television content in both the US and UK [READ].

• A new study from the NPD Group shows that people on Twitter are more likely to buy music [READ].

• Facebook partner with Ustream to bring live video streaming to the ever growing social networking site [READ].

• After closing all 807 stores nationwide at the start of the year, Woolworths has re-launched as an online store [READ].

• Wired have reported that a programming team has finally won the Netflix Prize, after over three years of competition [READ].