BT has signed a deal with Sony BMG to enable a wide range of music videos to be accessed on-demand from BT’s next-generation TV service, BT Vision.
The videos will also be available from November 2006 through BT Vision Download Store, a new service offering film, television and music download-to-PC and Microsoft-compatible portable devices.
The deal gives BT Vision customers exclusive early access to many of SONY BMG’s newly released videos. SONY BMG artists include Foo Fighters, Jamiroquai, George Michael, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Bob Dylan, among many others.
BT Vision already has existing music agreements with Warner Music, VPL, i-concerts, NBD and Eagle Rock and with some big entertainment companies including BBC Worldwide, NBC Universal, Paramount, National Geographic Channel, HIT Entertainment, Nelvana and Turner Broadcasting, as well as with the FA Premier League for ‘near-live’ matches for 3 years from the 2007/08 season.
Dan Marks, chief executive officer, BT Television Services, said: “We are delighted to be in business with one of the world’s leading music entertainment companies. This is an important deal for BT Vision and allows us to offer our customers access to a broad range of music videos many of which will be exclusive to BT Vision for a period of time from their release.
“It confirms that BT Vision will become one of the places that music fans will come to see and hear the artists they love, whenever they want.”
Clive Rich at SVP Futures Division, SONY BMG Music Entertainment(UK), said: “The demand for music video is higher than ever and we are delighted to have entered into this agreement with BT Vision to allow its customers access to our artists’ music videos. The BT Vision service puts consumers in control, bringing faster, easier and more convenient access to videos from our superstar artists, our video archives and our latest signings.”
BT: 0207 469 2337 www.btplc.com