Rich Fiscus
12 Aug 2007 10:38
Universal Music Group plans to sell DRM free music appear to include marketing a new online music store called gBox.
Under the program, gBox will get referrals through ads Universal will buy through search leader Google Inc., gBox Chief Executive Tammy Artim said Friday.
Google will get standard advertising fees rather than a cut of sales under the arrangement. The ads, which would appear when a Google user searches for specific terms such as the name of an artist, will direct the user to gBox.
The arrangement with Universal and gBox is separate from Google's music search service, which directs users to online music stores when they search for specific albums or artists. The company says it does not get paid for such referrals, and it does not restrict links to a single retailer.
Google, which has said it has no plans to create a music store of its own, described the new arrangement as strictly an advertising relationship.
Universal Music will make DRM-free songs available Aug. 21 to Jan. 31. Amazon.com., Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and RealNetworks's Rhapsody are among the other retailers selling such tracks, but only gBox will get Universal's Google referrals.
Although gBox won't officially launch until Aug. 21, it already has a site with music from Sony and independent labels. gBox Chief Executive Tammy Artim said the company has negotiated deals with other labels, but could not disclose them until the launch.
She also said gBox was working with other major labels to sell DRM-free tracks like Universal's, but such talks are ongoing.
GBox now works only with Internet Explorer on Windows-based computers, but Firefox support will come by the launch date, Artim said.
Source: Associated Press