OT: Just a goodie to come....
WORLD THEATRE INC. AND BMG NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR DIGITAL MUSIC AND VIDEO DISTRIBUTION
New Interactive Music Television Network To Pioneer Digital Download Of Full Album and Video Content
NEW YORK, October 15, 2001 – Laying the foundation for its interactive music television network to be launched in 2002, World Theatre, Inc. today announced a license agreement with BMG North America, a unit of one of the world’s largest global music companies. The deal will give World Theatre video broadcasting and digital music distribution rights to music and video content from BMG’s U.S. labels, including: Arista, RCA Records, RCA Label Group – Nashville and RCA Victor. BMG’s marquee artists include Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Dave Matthews Band, Dido, Alan Jackson, Whitney Houston and Carlos Santana, among many others. BMG is one of several music companies that have granted licenses to World Theatre Inc.
Under terms of the distribution agreement, BMG has granted World Theatre rights to digitally distribute new releases as well as its catalog. World Theatre will broadcast BMG’s music videos on its interactive music television network and provide a rich set of interactive promotional capabilities. One such capability provides viewers with the opportunity to purchase through digital download the full album underlying the onscreen video or any previously released catalog album.
“We’re thrilled that BMG has granted us access to its diverse stable of labels and artists,” noted World Theatre Chairman Robert Summer. “Music television has served as a driver for introducing new acts and sustaining the careers of established artists. Now the medium is extended to become a valued platform for distribution of digital recordings.”
“BMG is pleased to make our music and video content available through World Theatre’s interactive music television network,” said Robert Jamieson, President and CEO, BMG North America. “This further demonstrates BMG’s commitment to creating a digital connection between our artists and their fans in innovative ways that include the exploitation of our video assets.”
World Theatre, Inc. is working in partnership with leading interactive television technology and middleware providers to deliver iTV cross-platform compatibility for its transactional entertainment platform. World Theatre’s platform will support a wide range of digital television interactive capabilities enabling consumers to purchase and experience music in a whole new way. In addition, the platform integrates into existing cable and satellite broadcasting architectures, and delivers an unprecedented combination of entertainment and shopping convenience to consumers.
About World Theatre, Inc.
World Theatre, Inc. is a privately held corporation founded in 1999 to create technology-based solutions that speed the transition between the promotion and purchase of consumer products. World Theatre’s iTV platform simultaneously supports a wide range of digital set-top box interactive capabilities, easily integrates into cable and satellite broadcasting architectures, and delivers an unprecedented combination of entertainment and shopping convenience to consumers. The company is readying the launch of an interactive music network for introduction in 2002. The new network will enhance the music experience by allowing consumers to instantaneously get information about their favorite artists and digitally download full albums directly to their homes. The company is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with offices in New York.
About BMG
BMG Entertainment is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the
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