DOJ investigating Apple

THE CLASS BULLY? The Justice Department is examining Apple’s tactics in the digital music marketplace, and its staff members have talked to the major labels and ISPs, several people briefed on the conversations told the N.Y. Times. What apparently piqued the DOJ’s interest were accusations of strong-arm tactics employed by Apple against labels that agreed to give Amazon MP3 one-day exclusives for its Daily Deal program. Apple countered by making those releases invisible in the iTunes Store—eliminating what would have been featured homepage promos had the labels not chosen to play ball with Amazon. Today's Daily Deal, btw, is The Whigs' In the Dark (ATO/RED), which'll set you back all of $2.99—and the Amazon MP3 downloader will drop it right into your iTunes library. (5/26a)