MTV's Challenge

Music channel MTV will tomorrow launch a digital music download service designed to compete with Apple's iTunes. The service, called Urge, will use Microsoft's Media Player software and is aimed at the growing number of people who own digital music players other than the ubiquitous iPod. Rival music download services have had limited success in the past, but none has had the marketing muscle of MTV. In contrast to iTunes, Urge offers an unlimited subscription for just $9.95 a month. But it faces a formidable challenge: iTunes has sold more than one billion tunes since it launched three years ago.