📸

11

bertelsmann

A HALLOWEEN DAY 2000 PRESS CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK revealed an astonishing alliance between Napster, on its knees in court, and the parent of one of its five archenemies. German publishing conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, owner of number three record label BMG and the world's largest book publisher, Random House, had decided it was better to join together than to fight—or perhaps best of all, to bet both ways. BMG had been bombing financially, and Bertelsmann thought that a Napster-like distribution system might give it an unbeatable advantage. As reporters gawked at Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Middelhoff hugging Shawn Fanning, they heard even more than the usual amount of hype. "There's no question that file-sharing will exist in the future as part of the media and entertainment industry," Middelhoff declared. "Now the show begins." Shawn was visibly excited as well. "If you think Napster is great now, just wait," he promised.

📸