Two clueless players join together to be super clueless

According to the WSJ, MTV and Real Networks, are planning to join forces to "take on Apple and iTunes"

"Take on" is probably a bit too strong a term, since MTV wouldn't know music if music came up and took a crap in it's hand, and Real... well I can't think of anything Real has done well since... I guess, ever. Real Player = shit, Rhapsody = shit(tier), etc.

"The move appears to spell the end of MTV's Urge digital service, launched in partnership with MicrosoftCorp. last year. Microsoft has been heavily focused on its own Zuneservice in recent months, to the apparent detriment of Urge, which hadfew subscribers. MTV itself no longer invested significant resources inUrge after Zune's debut, according to a person familiar with Urge."

Moving from one failure to the next, clever, that always works. I'm interested to see how they do, but I won't be holding my breath.

"The new company will be called Rhapsody America. MTV Networks will contribute cash, a five-year note for $230 million and its Urge subscribers to the venture, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. RealNetworks, which will contribute cash and its Rhapsody subscribers, will retain a majority ownership stake in the venture."

230 million?!? Crikey! Give me that money if you're so insistant on throwing it away! I could do so much with it! More than make another lame ass music service (OH yeah, subscription required, of course) that'll be doomed to fail in under 12 months.