BSkyB is to break into the digital music market with a new business, launched in conjunction with Universal Music, that aims to take on Apple's iTunes in the UK. The new as-yet-unnamed venture, in which BSkyB is the majority shareholder and Universal is an equity partner, aims to launch by the end of the year. The service, which is likely to be Sky branded, will offer a monthly subscription service as a counter to iTunes track-by-track purchasing. The subscription will give users unlimited access to streamed tracks plus a set number of download-to-own songs, initially to Universal Music's catalogue of hundreds of thousands of songs from artists including Amy Winehouse, U2, Kanye West, Duffy, Rihanna, Eminem, Elton John and Abba. Downloaded tracks will work on any device that can play MP3s including iPods and mobile phones. BSkyB, which several years ago registered the brand name Sky Tunes, is in negotiations with other music companies to join the venture and to potentially take equity. Pricing of the subscription packages, and the numbers of tracks that will be made available to download for each tier, will be revealed closer to the time of launch. "We think that there is a considerable un-met and untapped demand in the digital music market," said the BSkyB chief operating officer, Mike Darcey. "There is a desire among consumers to consumer, discover and purchase music online." He added that not all those needs were met by the cur ...
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BSkyB is to break into the digital music market with a new business, launched in conjunction with Universal Music, that aims to take on Apple's iTunes in the UK. The new as-yet-unnamed venture, in which BSkyB is the majority shareholder and Universal is an equity partner, aims to launch by the end of the year. The service, which is likely to be Sky branded, will offer a monthly subscription service as a counter to iTunes track-by-track purchasing. The subscription will give users unlimited access to streamed tracks plus a set number of download-to-own songs, initially to Universal Music's catalogue of hundreds of thousands of songs from artists including Amy Winehouse, U2, Kanye West, Duffy, Rihanna, Eminem, Elton John and Abba. Downloaded tracks will work on any device that can play MP3s including iPods and mobile phones. BSkyB, which several years ago registered the brand name Sky Tunes, is in negotiations with other music companies to join the venture and to potentially take equity. Pricing of the subscription packages, and the numbers of tracks that will be made available to download for each tier, will be revealed closer to the time of launch. "We think that there is a considerable un-met and untapped demand in the digital music market," said the BSkyB chief operating officer, Mike Darcey. "There is a desire among consumers to consumer, discover and purchase music online." He added that not all those needs were met by the cur ...