Sony BMG Music Entertainment has struck a deal with Global Music International that would allow GMI to distribute most of the company's music videos, full track songs and ringtones, to mobile subscribers in China.
Just like in the US, Chinese subscribers will be able to buy and download songs, ringtones, and music videos right to their phones. The content available will include music and videos from Chinese and Western artists.
With over 300 million subscribers and growing, the Chinese mobile market is a very important one and interest in the market is growing as well.
Although there is huge potential for sales in China, it is an uphill battle. About 85 percent of content recordings in China are pirated. Two months ago, a lawsuit against Yahoo China was filed by 11 music companies incuding Sony BMG, claiming Yahoo China infringed copyrights by providing links to unlicensed music.
However, BMG sees their partnership as a way to get their content out to the Chinese market and hopefully slow down piracy.
"We have been impressed with Global Music International's established relationships with major telecommunications players in China, and are extremely pleased to be entering into a licensing agreement with them to offer our unique music content for mobile distribution on their partners' wireless networks," Kelvin Wadsworth, executive vice president for Sony BMG Music Entertainment in Asia, said in a statement. "We see this agreement as an important part of our overall strategy to innovate, find new ways for our artists to connect with their fans, and develop new revenue streams."
Source:
News.com
With over 300 million subscribers and growing, the Chinese mobile market is a very important one and interest in the market is growing as well.
Although there is huge potential for sales in China, it is an uphill battle. About 85 percent of content recordings in China are pirated. Two months ago, a lawsuit against Yahoo China was filed by 11 music companies incuding Sony BMG, claiming Yahoo China infringed copyrights by providing links to unlicensed music.
However, BMG sees their partnership as a way to get their content out to the Chinese market and hopefully slow down piracy.
"We have been impressed with Global Music International's established relationships with major telecommunications players in China, and are extremely pleased to be entering into a licensing agreement with them to offer our unique music content for mobile distribution on their partners' wireless networks," Kelvin Wadsworth, executive vice president for Sony BMG Music Entertainment in Asia, said in a statement. "We see this agreement as an important part of our overall strategy to innovate, find new ways for our artists to connect with their fans, and develop new revenue streams."
Source:
News.com
