Universal to Stream Music Online

[geoffolehane]

This comes from the [i]Daily Bulldog[/i], an online newsletter for Public Relations folks (like me).


[b]Exhausted from Battling Online Piracy, Universal Decides to Go Head-to-Head with Free On-Demand Streaming[/b]

Universal Music Group this week said it signed an agreement with music-based social networking website Imeem Inc to provide free, on-demand streaming of its digital music and videos that will be supported by advertising. Universal is the fourth major music company to strike a deal with the site, following Warner Music Group, EMI Music and Sony BMG Music. Imeem, which says it more than 19 million users, allows users to create profiles and connect with each other by uploading MP3 files to create playlists, which they share, Reuters reports.

Major record companies, including Universal, have been trying to strike a balance between curbing online piracy and forming partnerships with industry newcomers as they look for new ways to promote and distribute music to fans. "Imeem has developed an innovative way to make our artists' music a central part of the social networking experience," Doug Morris, UMG's chairman and chief executive said in a statement, reports Reuters scribe Emily Chasan.

"They've done so the right way—by working with UMG to provide an exciting musical experience for consumers, while ensuring that our artists are fairly compensated," he added.

Imeem is the fourth most popular multimedia entertainment site in the United States after YouTube, Google Video and MySpace Videos, according to tracking firm Hitwise.