The leading Chinese search engine Baidu will be launching a new music download service called Ting. The new legal music download store is expected to launch later this month, according to a company spokeswoman. Baidu has been a frequent target of criticism by major record labels for its search engine that provides "deep links" to unauthorized MP3s hosted on third-party sites.
The labels even launched a copyright infringement case against the company over its MP3 search service, which they lost in 2008. Record label trade group IFPI was also unsuccessful in suing Baidu back in 2005. Even the US Trade Representative labeled Baidu a "notorious market" for pirated works, but the company hopes that the new legal service will put this criticism to rest. Baidu also announced a deal last month to begin paying songwriters for tracks that were downloaded via its search service, but this deal left the record labels out in the cold.
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