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Sony BMG to Stream Free Music Videos

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

June 19, 2006, 1:55 PM

Responding to the surge in popularity of online video sites like YouTube, music label Sony BMG plans to provide consumers free access to its vast library of music videos, along with artist interviews and live performances.

The new service, called Musicbox Video, will stream videos in a Flash-based player that utilizes technology provided by Brightcove and includes playlists with top videos and genres. Sony BMG artist sites will also feature custom versions of the player, which requires no download.

Sony BMG hopes Musicbox Video will help expand its advertising revenues on the Web. The video clips will contain pre-roll commercials, as well as supporting video overlays. The label will also sell sponsorships and integrated packages to advertisers.

Brightcove will handle advertising for the service, and the company says it has already booked leading brands such as DreamWorks Animation SKG and HP.

The move by Sony BMG comes amid a recent crackdown from the music industry on YouTube and its rivals Google Video, Yahoo! Video and AOL Video. The sites are commonly used for uploading copyrighted material such as music videos, leading the industry to look for ways to offer the content on its own.

Like those sites, Sony BMG will enable users to share music videos with others and post them to their Web sites and blogs. The players will even offer RSS feeds for notifying users when new videos have been added.

Add a Comment (11 Comments)

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By politicsapocalypse

edited May 27, 2008 - 12:52 AM

Last month I released Politics Apocalypse, a full length album using the creative commons licence attribution 3.0. This allows you to use the music however you please (including in commercial projects) so long as you give credit. Since last month we have had over 3000 album downloads.

We accept donations, and we have a name-your-own-price CD; which is a unique concept where you can name your own price (starting at cost price) for a CD. We have had some orders and heaps of positive feedback.

The album is political post-industrial rock with an interesting mix of classical instruments, guitars, electronic beats, and a dash of aussie hip-hop.

You can download the whole 11 track album for free at our website.
http://www.politicsapocalypse.com

Score: 0

By KSzostek

edited Jun 20, 2006 - 8:56 PM

Why would anyone trust downloading anything from Sony. Wow some people have short memories.

Score: 0

By SrLnclt

posted Jun 19, 2006 - 6:38 PM

I never did see the point of the companies getting mad about sites hosting music videos. The original idea behind music videos is they are an extended ad for a singer or band to promote their latest album. More people sharing them should be viewed as free advertising for the music biz.

Although I was surprised to see them wait until now to get upset about it. I knew people who were sharing music videos out of their dorm rooms about the time the original Napster was getting shutdown.

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By chris7uk

posted Jun 19, 2006 - 3:02 PM

A Good idea, Ill look forward to this when the videos are available to view.
*****

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By kholdstare

posted Jun 19, 2006 - 3:01 PM

now to just sit back and wait for all the losers to post there rootkit comments

Score: 0

By KSzostek

posted Jun 20, 2006 - 8:57 PM

Opposed to you being what?

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Jun 20, 2006 - 2:52 PM

You don't have to be a loser to have lost any trust you had in Sony.

Score: 0

By Silentmaster101

posted Jun 20, 2006 - 2:25 PM

oh, no i was more waiting for them to anounce it will be in a proprietary format that nobody else can make real use off of, except with their player.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jun 19, 2006 - 7:24 PM

I did, but for some unknown reason it was deleted. It was not offensive in any way or even demeaning. I bet betanews had a quick hdd crash afterward and had to recover from a backup or something :)