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Business News Deals Digital Labels & Publishers
Warner strikes new deals with Google
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 6 March 2013
Warner Music has reportedly reached two deals with Google in relation to two new subscription services. It is thought the first relates to plans to launch a pay-to-use premium version of YouTube, while the other is likely linked to reports the web-giant is planning on adding a streaming audio element to its Google Play platform.
Warner, often the hold-out on new digital services, and the last major to licence the Google Play download store and digital locker service, is reportedly the first to do a deal regards the new propositions.
Talks are reportedly ongoing with both the Universal and Sony music companies, both of which will also likely want to do direct deals over publishing royalties as well as recording rights, the publishing businesses of the two mega-majors looking to withdraw from the collective licensing system in the US digital space.
Sony and Universal may also want to consider any plans for a new premium music video element to YouTube in the context of VEVO, the music video platform the two majors co-own, and which operates in part as a spin-off of the main YouTube website. Warner Music has never joined the VEVO party, as either an investor or content provider.
