First Digital Data Exchange Standards Established and Agreed to by Digital Music Service Providers, Record Companies and Music Rights Societies

LONDON and NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- October 18, 2006 --Digital Data Exchange, LLC (DDEX), which launched in May to explore, develop and maintain a robust framework of voluntary data exchange standards for information relating to digital media content, announced today success in establishing its first four standards to facilitate efficient information sharing and transaction processing among all participants in the digital music supply chain. DDEX is a broad-based not-for-profit organization made up of a diverse group of stakeholders from various industries, working together in a unique collaboration to create voluntary standards that support efficient digital distribution of digital content. The initial focus of their efforts is on music and music related assets.

The first standard enables organizations that wish to have their music content available in the digital domain to notify Digital Service Providers (DSPs) of information concerning these musical works and sound recordings. The message is known as the Electronic Release Notification Message Suite Standard (ERN). The second data exchange standard, the Digital Sales Report Message Suite (DSR), enables DSPs/MSPs to provide information about the sales of music from their service to record companies and music rights societies in order that they, in turn, may make payments to the artists, music publishers and composers whose music is used.

The other two standards declared are "supporting" standards for the implementation of the ERN or DSR. The first is the DDEX Data Dictionary, which contains the terms used in the messages and definitions of those terms so that all users have the same understanding of each term. The second is the DDEX Party Identifier. This is a unique alphanumeric string that will be allocated to each organization that implements the ERN or DSR or any future DDEX message standards. The identifier is used in the messages to ensure that the sender and receiver of messages can be properly recognized.

"The members of DDEX, which include record companies, music rights societies, and digital services providers, have been working together since May to determine these first four standards," said Chris Amenita of ASCAP and the Chair of DDEX. "These standards address several of the most critical data exchange points for the music industry, and I'm pleased with the ability of the group to come together and make such progress so quickly."

Plans are already underway for early implementation of the messages by some of DDEX's members with a view to exchanging live information using the standards before the end of the year. Further roll out by other companies is anticipated in the first half of 2007. In the meantime, work will continue within DDEX to develop other message standards that will support more efficient operation of the digital music value chain with the expectation of completion during the second quarter of next year.

Documentation relating to the standards can be seen at www.ddex.net, including how to obtain licences to evaluate and implement the standards.

About DDEX

Digital Data Exchange, or DDEX (pronounced "dee-dex"), was formed in May 2006 to explore, develop and maintain a robust framework of open and voluntary data exchange standards for information relating to digital media content, with an initial focus on music-related content. The charter members of the not-for-profit organization are the record companies, EMI Music, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group; music rights societies from the US, UK, Spain, and France, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), The Harry Fox Agency Inc. (HFA), The MCPS-PRS Alliance Limited, Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE), and Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et éditeurs de Musique (SACEM); and the digital service providers, AOL, Apple Computer Inc., Microsoft Corp. and RealNetworks Inc®.

The contributing members of DDEX are: All Media Guide, LLC, BMI, Buma-Stemra, Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd., Edel Music Group, IODA, Metro Media LLC, Muzak LLC, Napster, Nielsen SoundScan, PassAlong Networks, Phonographic Performance Ltd, RoyaltyShare Inc., SIAE, SCPP, SOCAN, SODRAC and Sony Connect. The participating members of DDEX are: APRA, Geneva Media, LLC, Tradescape, Inc. and SESAC, Inc.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.