Online music distributor Ecast has pulled the plug on its downloadable music operations, saying it can’t afford to spend the marketing dollars needed to compete with Apple’s iTunes Music Store and other online services, according to the LA Times. “The downloadable music market is being driven by companies such as Apple that control the technology and have a direct relationship with music buyers, giving them an incentive to spend heavily on marketing. Ecast, on the other hand, relied on its retail partners to promote downloadable music and generate sales.” Ecast CEO Robbie Vann-Adibe said, “These guns are lining up to fight a war, and big marketing dollars are going to play a role.”
