fyi ~ Yahoo! and Duet Announce an Alliance to Present and Market the On-Demand Music Subscription Service Created by Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group
SANTA CLARA, Calif., NEW YORK & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2001--Today, Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO - news), a leading global Internet communications, commerce and media company, and Duet, the online digital music subscription service created by the world's two largest music companies, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, announced an alliance to present and market Duet's U.S. service to visitors to the Yahoo! network and Yahoo!® Music (http://music.yahoo.com). The Duet subscription service is expected to launch this summer.
The on-demand Duet subscription service will offer consumers the opportunity to access a broad range of quality music online with speed, ease of use, and reliability while respecting artists' rights. The service will provide music enthusiasts with the ability to compile personalized playlists and to share them with other Duet members, among other features. The Duet service is expected to launch with streaming music and plans to add downloads shortly thereafter.
The Duet subscription service will offer music from Sony Music and Universal Music on a non-exclusive basis. Duet also expects to offer music from other companies, in order to provide consumers with the best experience and access to the most compelling selection of music available.
``Yahoo! is pleased to join Sony Music and Universal Music, the world's two largest music companies, to promote the Duet subscription service to U.S. music fans,'' said Jeff Mallett, president and chief operating officer, Yahoo! Inc. ``We are committed to providing our active and robust consumer base with fast, easy and legal access to the music of their choice. This alliance represents a step forward in our ongoing efforts to make Yahoo! the Web's premier entertainment destination.''
``Sony is very pleased to work with Yahoo! to bring the Duet service to consumers,'' said Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO, Sony Corporation of America. ``Yahoo!'s strong brand recognition and tremendous consumer reach will greatly enhance the success of Duet, and the Duet service will provide a rich resource for consumers interested in accessing music securely online. Through Duet we will guarantee both a premiere entertainment experience for consumers and continued support for content creators around the world.''
``Vivendi Universal is very excited about this agreement as it brings us closer to achieving one of our fundamental goals--providing consumers with access to all music, all the time,'' said Jean-Marie Messier, Chairman and CEO, Vivendi Universal. ``The number of consumers seeking music online is large and growing and we want consumers to have legitimate access to all their favorite artists and songs. We hope that other major music companies and independent music companies will join Duet. The Internet offers unparalleled opportunities for consumers and artists. Today's announcement is further evidence of Vivendi Universal's commitment to cultivating a secure and vibrant electronic music marketplace.''
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