“How do you manage intellectual
property in a free-content world?”
“Adapt your business model
to add value.”
Napster licenses intellectual property from others and seeks to have consumers
pay for it in a world in which free content is increasingly the norm. The company’s
success depends on creating an appealing model that presents the consumer with
valuable offerings in addition to great music.
What this means for the legal function is that we have to adapt Napster’s business
model in order to add value. While technical legal skills always have to be part of
our repertoire, we see the legal function as one that’s focused on smart deal-making,
effective negotiation and establishment of price points for content that can be
sustained by our customer payments.
And we get there. Our model presents our customers with an easy, dignified and
lawful way to access great musical content. Our organization and presentation
of our offerings, professional programming, customer services, automated play
lists, and integration of wide-ranging information and data allow us to compete
effectively in a free-content world.
The fulcrum of this success is good deals to secure great content. And that’s how the
legal function adds value to Napster.
Aileen Atkins
Senior Vice President of Business Affairs
and General Counsel
Napster, Inc.
Los Angeles, California
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