Set:
wmplayer.exe /Task:NowPlaying
as your shortcut to WMP.

Signature
Windows Media Development Team (speaking for myself only)
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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> In older versions of Media Player I could set the player to startup on the
> NOW PLAYING panel. In 11 beta 2 I can't seem to locate any method to
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> Does someone know of a method to always start blank in the Now Playing
> panel?