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Warner Music Group and Telenor Announce Strategic Partnership
Mobile Music 'First' to Help Unlock Digital Potential in Emerging Markets
| Source: Warner Music Group
BARCELONA, SPAIN -- (MARKET WIRE) -- February 14, 2007 -- Warner Music Group (NYSE : WMG ) and one of
the world's leading mobile operators, Telenor (NASDAQ : TELN ) (OSLO : TEL ),
today announced a global strategic partnership. Under the terms of the
partnership, WMG content, including full-length songs, ringtones, ringback
tones, mobile music videos and wallpapers, will be available via Telenor's
network of mobile companies. Warner Music is the first music company to
partner with Telenor for music content at a pan-regional Group level, with
the deal initially covering nine of Telenor's thirteen mobile operators.
This partnership will combine WMG's expertise in developing and delivering
entertainment content with Telenor's strength in telecommunications
technology. Together, WMG and Telenor will pioneer innovative music
services that incentivise mobile uptake and encourage mobile music
consumption across Telenor's substantial mobile subscription base in Europe
and Asia. The deal demonstrates Warner Music and Telenor's focus on both
maintaining their respective positions as global digital innovators as well
as developing emerging markets, where there is increasing demand for new
services.
Warner Music's development of new talent and innovative marketing of its
roster of international stars will ensure a wide range of content choice
for Telenor's customers. In turn, Telenor's network of operations and its
youth brand, 'djuice,' will enable the two companies to work together to
develop new and attractive mobile offerings for a broad range of audiences
and tastes.
Alex Zubillaga, Executive Vice President, Digital Strategy and Business
Development, Warner Music Group, said, "This partnership is a compelling
meeting of business objective and consumer benefit. The sheer scale and
reach of Telenor's mobile network takes WMG's ability to deliver mobile
content to the global community of music lovers to a whole new level. This
agreement highlights our commitment to responding to regional variations in
the ways consumers access music and to developing digital music
opportunities around the world."
Ragnar H. Korsaeth, Executive Vice President and Head of Global
Coordination, Telenor, said, "Telenor is committed to developing and
offering new and exciting services across all the companies within the
Telenor Group. We are looking forward to working together with Warner Music
to grant our customers access to Warner Music's first-class portfolio of
new and local talent as well as existing musical legends."
For Warner Music, the deal with Telenor is the latest in a series of
groundbreaking 'firsts' in digital entertainment, including landmark online
partnerships. Last year, Warner was the first music company to embrace the
power of user-generated content by signing video distribution and revenue
partnerships with YouTube and then Google Video, among others. In January
2007, Warner Music signed a strategic partnership with Dailymotion, the
world's second largest video sharing site.
About Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music company to be publicly
traded in the United States in May 2005. With its broad roster of new stars
and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the
best-known record labels in the music industry, including Asylum, Atlantic,
Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Perfect
Game, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros., and Word.
Warner Music International, a leading company in national and international
repertoire, operates through numerous international affiliates and
licensees in more than 50 countries. Warner Music Group also includes
Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's leading music publishers.
For more information about Warner Music Group, visit our corporate website
at www.wmg.com
About Telenor
Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Telenor is an international provider of
high-quality telecommunications, data and media communication services.
Telenor is one of the world's leading mobile operators, with operations in
13 countries. As of third quarter 2006, the total mobile customer base was
105 million. In addition to 40 years of history in mobile telephony in one
of the most advanced mobile markets worldwide, Telenor has strong
experience from growth markets in both Europe and Asia.
Telenor is listed at the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO : TEL ) and Nasdaq in New
York
(NASDAQ : TELN ).
www.telenor.com