Strategic Marketing Alliance
The Box Music Network Additional Partner in Aggressive Online Promotion
NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- SonicNet, a wholly owned subsidiary of TCI Music, Inc., and the Elektra Entertainment Group announced today that the two companies have entered into a Strategic Marketing Relationship. Built on the success of previous promotions between SonicNet and a diverse group of Elektra artists, including Metallica, Busta Rhymes, Third Eye Blind, Better Than Ezra, Missy Elliott, the agreement provides for a variety of online activities designed to cross-promote Elektra, SonicNet, and The Box Entertainment Network.
"This cross-promotion agreement will help us give Elektra's artists the full benefit of our content, promotion, and marketing resources across multiple media platforms," Nicholas Butterworth, President of SonicNet, commented. "We're proud to be Elektra's partner in extending their legacy of excellence to a new medium." Camille Hackney, Vice President Marketing/Multimedia for Elektra stated: "This agreement is beneficial to all of the companies involved. We are able to utilize the tremendous resources of SonicNet, and they receive access to the spectacular repertoire of Elektra. We're excited to work with a company that has been at the forefront of marketing music on the Internet."
As part of the agreement, each Elektra artist page is co-branded with SonicNet and The Box. The SonicNet banner leads users to a specially designed SonicNet Artist Information page, which provides links to fan sites as well as SonicNet's artist information. The Box banner leads to theboX.com, where users can create an account to order videos online and watch them on their local Box cable outlet. Additionally, each Elektra video on The Box is chyroned with the URL for that artist's website. SonicNet and Elektra will also co-present a series of cybercasts, audio/video and text chats, and contests. SonicNet and Elektra have already jointly hosted several tremendously successful online events, including a Busta Rhymes fly-away contest and a chat with Metallica via SonicNet's Yahoo! Chat venture.
SonicNet is located on the World Wide Web at sonicnet.com. Elektra's URL is elektra.com.
About SonicNet:
SonicNet (http://sonicnet.com) is the Internet's largest music network and is widely recognized as the most acclaimed, popular and innovative music site on the Web. In 1998 they were awarded the "Best Overall Music Site" title by Yahoo! Internet Life Magazine. SonicNet is the leader in providing breaking and in-depth music news, live concerts and music guidance via the Internet. They have three international sites: SonicNet Japan (http://sonicnet.co.jp), SonicNet Australia (http://www.sonicnet.com.au) and SonicNet Switzerland (http://www.sonicnet.ch).
In November 1997 SonicNet launched Streamland (http://www.streamland.com). SonicNet also publishes Addicted To Noise (http://www.addict.com), the leading rock magazine on the Web, the Alternative Buyer's Guide (http://www.altbuyguide.com), Trouser Press (http://www.TrouserPress.com) and Cinemachine (http://www.cinemachine.com).
About The Box Music Network:
The Box Music Network is the only interactive, 24-hour all music network currently reaching more than 50 million households worldwide. The Box Music Network (http://www.thebox.com) presents the newest and most diverse selection of music on television through the use of 130 digital file servers throughout the U.S. The Box Music Network is available in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim. The Box Music Network originates programming uniquely tailored to each market it serves. Viewers have the option to call in and request a video from a menu of up to 200 selections, with the charges (average $1.99 per video) appearing on their phone bill. Viewers can also simply watch the videos and BOX programming free of charge. A number of artists have credited The Box Music Network for successfully launching and solidifying their careers. Artists who have recently acknowledged The Box Music Network as key to their success include The Backstreet Boys, Fuel, K.P. & Envyi, She Moves, and Dakota Moon.
The Box Music Network was the first music service to launch a variety of themed music channels designed specifically for the next generation of digital cable. Marketed under The Box Set brand, these services are available on TCI's Headend In The Sky (HITS) and are strategically packaged with other programming services targeted to specific audiences. The Box Set channels currently include Box Edge, Box Pulse, Box Classic, Box Urban, Box Exitos, and Box Tejano.
The Box Worldwide, Inc. was acquired by TCI Music in December, 1997 and is traded through its TCI Music Series A Common Stock (Nasdaq: TUNE) and TCI Music Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: TUNEP) on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market.
About TCI Music, Inc.:
TCI Music, Inc. is a diversified music entertainment company delivering audio and video music services to commercial and residential customers via television, the Internet and other methods. TCI Music, Inc. is comprised of: The Box Music Network, Inc., which programs and distributes the interactive all music video channel, THE BOX; DMX, LLC, which programs, markets, and distributes the premium digital audio music service known as Digital Music Express (DMX); and SonicNet(TM), a leading music site on the Internet. TCI Music, Inc. is traded on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market through its Series A Common Stock and Series A Convertible Preferred Stock under the symbols TUNE and TUNEP, respectively.
SOURCE SonicNet
-0- 03/17/99 /CONTACT: Julie Farman of SonicNet, 212-982-9811, or Julie@SonicNet.com/
/Web site: elektra.com /Web site: sonicnet.com (TUNE TUNEP)
CO: SonicNet; TCI Music, Inc.; Elektra Entertainment Group;
The Box Music Network, Inc. ST: New York, California IN: ENT MLM SU: JVN |
