January 13, 2003

Claire Tomalin and husband Michael Frayn comment on becoming first couple ever both to be shortlisted for Whitbread Book of the Year award, she for her biography Samuel Pepys: The Unequaled Self and he for his novel Spies; photo (M)

Change in leadership at Sony Music Entertainment brings to surface growing sense of fear within music industry, which is now selling 100 million fewer CD's and cassettes than it did in 2000 and faces mounting threat in music-swapping on Internet; experts say companies need to focus on cutting costs, which will not be easy when it comes to talent and marketing, and reduce cost of CD's to consumers; say labels must also tap into new sources of revenue; believe further global consolidation is necessary, but will not in itself be sufficient to return industry to health (M)

Court papers reveal that Phillip M Adams, former IBM engineer, sold Hewlett-Packard a software patch to remedy alleged flaw in floppy disk controllers of its computers and agreed to assist company in its defense against class-action lawsuits related to flaw; Adams was principal expert witness for plaintiffs' lawyers in class-action lawsuit related to same problem in computers made by Toshiba, which ended with $2.1 billion settlement in 1999; Adams's switching of sides prompts California state attorney general's office to accuse him and Hewlett-Packard of lack of candor and deception and is pursuing false-claims investigation against company; class-action lawyers in Texas feel jilted by Adams, and they are suing Hewlett-Packard; Adams, who received $27.5 million from Hewlett-Packard, contends he is acting in public interest by trying to fix problem that could have dire consequences (M)

Officials from Lower Manhattan Development Corp and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hold public hearings to give New Yorkers more details about designs submitted last month for World Trade Center site; will discuss process they are using to narrow options to single plan for redeveloping site and creating memorial to Sept 11 victims; hope to refocus discussion toward what one official calls 'public realm', or use of site that is not tied to replacement of office space; schedule and locations of meetings noted (M)

Music industry insiders debate whether Andrew Lack, president of NBC, who is best known for overseeing rebuilding of its once listless news division, is right person to head Sony Music Entertainment; several people say his ability to establish and maintain longstanding relationships with people of power and with stars will prove useful in his new industry; other key factor in appointment is closeness to Sir Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony Corp of America; photo (M)