Business Notes Jukeboxes

From 1948 to 1978, from bebop to the twist to disco, Seeburg was the jukebox king, selling more boxes to more bars, restaurants and soda shops than any other firm. But in 1979 Seeburg filed for reorganization under the bankruptcy laws. Like its competitors, the company had been hurt by its dependence on 45- r.p.m. records, which today account for only 5% of the record and tape market.

Now Seeburg's jukeboxes are back, playing compact discs instead of 45s. For $1, customers can listen to three selections from CDs (the jukebox accepts no change). Eighteen plays can be heard for $5. One major attraction is that a CD jukebox can play 700 to 1,000 different songs, compared with the 200 or so that are offered by a traditional machine. Seeburg expects to sell 4,500 of its new jukes by next June.

Seeburg faces competition, though. Next month, Rowe International will introduce a model that will play both CDs and 45s. Seeburg also confronts the new video jukeboxes produced by Laser Video Music and Rowe. They play music videotapes on 25-in. color screens. Since video jukeboxes, which charge 50 cents a play, were first introduced three years ago, some 700 have been installed. They typically offer 45 different selections.