Warner Music International and Televisa Announce Content Agreement
Exclusive Maná mobile bundle launches catalogue-wide content offer
Warner Music International (WMI) and Televisa today announced an agreement that will make Warner Music mastertones available to mobile customers in Mexico alongside Televisa's extensive library of entertainment content. Through Televisa's mobile portal, consumers are able to mix and match mastertones from Warner Music's most popular local and international artists with wallpapers from their favorite artists and Televisa shows to create a fully personalized mobile experience.
The service launches with exclusive content from legendary Mexican band Maná, whose current album, "Amar es Combatir", opened at number #1 in Mexico. During the remainder of 2006, a wide range of Warner Music mastertones will be made available, including Luis Miguel, Madonna, and Alex Ubago, alongside exclusive wallpapers from these artists. The agreement between WMI and Televisa follows the successful trial earlier this year of bundled audio and visual 'La Fea Más Bella' products, with over 160,000 products sold over a five month period.
As a leading provider of Spanish-language TV and entertainment content, Televisa offers consumers a broad array of digital products through its online portal, Esmas.com, and has pioneered the uptake of mobile entertainment services. Esmas Movil sells in excess of 900,000 wireless premium content products every day.
Alfonso Perez-Soto, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Warner Music Latin America, commented, "We are delighted to be embarking on a partnership with Televisa, who are not only responsible for some of the most popular and successful entertainment content in Mexico, but who have also consistently led the way in giving consumers access to that content in a variety of digital formats. We're especially excited to be able to offer consumers this level of choice in personalizing their handsets. By teaming up with Televisa, they are free to select from their favorite music and TV products to create a truly multimedia experience.”
Juan Saldívar, Esmas CEO, stated that "Offering WMI content to our Esmas Móvil customers represents an important addition to our current mobile content catalog. We are sure that the importance of WMI's music catalog among Mexican consumers and Esmas wireless business will represent a whole new experience for mobile users in Mexico."
This is the latest announcement to highlight Warner Music's commitment to innovation in the digital space. In September, WMG entered into an agreement to distribute on YouTube the library of music videos from WMG's world-renowned roster of artists as well as behind-the-scenes footage, artist interviews, original programming and other special content. In a first-of-its-kind arrangement, YouTube users will be able to incorporate music from WMG's recorded music catalog into the videos they create and upload onto YouTube. In October, WMG also announced a strategic business relationship that gives Google users the ability to stream on-demand WMG's extensive music video collection for free, through an ad-supported revenue sharing agreement, or to purchase videos online for download. Warner Music has also unveiled a series of strategic partnerships around with world, including agreements with Beeline, one of Russia's leading mobile networks, China Unicom, the world's third-largest mobile operator, and SK Telecom, Korea's foremost broadband and wireless provider.
About Warner Music International
Warner Music International (WMI) is Warner Music Group's global (ex-U.S.) recorded music division that markets and distributes WMG's world-class roster of U.S. and international recording artists through a network of affiliates and licensees in more than 50 countries. With a commitment to developing local talent as well as marketing international superstars, WMI leverages its expertise in each region around the world to attract and cultivate a diverse international artist roster. WMG is a pioneer in delivering music content in new and exciting ways, with a track record of 'firsts' in the digital space.
About Televisa
Grupo Televisa, S.A., is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world and a major participant in the international entertainment business. It has interests in television production and broadcasting, production of pay television networks, international distribution of television programming, direct-to-home satellite services, publishing and publishing distribution, cable television, radio production and broadcasting, professional sports and live entertainment, feature film production and distribution, gaming, and the operation of a horizontal internet portal. Grupo Televisa also owns an unconsolidated equity stake in Univision, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States, and in La Sexta, a free-to-air television venture in Spain.