Realnetworks aims to become core company

Internet media powerhouse Realnetworks aims to become one of the world's three to four core Net firms, its chief executive has said.

"We have the opportunity to become a core company, one of three or four most significant companies to come out of the Internet revolution," Mr Rob Glaser, also the company's founder, said.

The Seattle-based firm is already the dominant player in its main business of software for sending audio and video over the Internet and may take a similar position in the still nascent online music market.

Its RealJukebox application, which allows users to load songs rapidly onto their computers from their CD collections or from websites has attracted more than 10 million users since its launch five months ago.

In addition to its audio and video "streaming" business RealNetworks is also gearing up to take advantage of the e-commerce as well as the advertising opportunities presented by digital distribution formats.

However, Mr Glaser, a former Microsoft executive, said he did not believe RealNetworks would be "the Microsoft" of online music, saying that where Microsoft had a competitive relationship with content providers, its business was more collaborative by nature.