CNET is to start charging software publishers for listing their apps on Download.com.

From September 30, the tech publisher will charge a fee to have software posted or updated. Software already posted on Download.com will stay there until the end of the year. But then publishers will have to pay up if they are to avoid eviction. CNET is also rolling out some enhanced pay-for-placement services, with subscriptions starting at $99 a month. And it's teamed up with a webhosting firm called MoveDigital to offer cut-price bandwidth.

We await news of the paid-for conversion rate with great interest, but the proposition makes sense to us. Why shouldn't CNET make a turn on this worthy service?

CNET's plans were first revealed by Dotcom Scoop's Ben Silverman who publishes CNET's memo here. In an earlier article, he writes:

"CNET, according to a source, approached Yahoo about a possible partnership for the new Download.com, but was apparently rebuffed. The theory behind the Yahoo partnership was to put Download.com in more direct competition with Digital River, an e-commerce services provider which, among other solutions, enables software vendors to hock their wares via direct download." ®