EMI and Virtue Broadcasting Sign Strategic Agreement

EMI Recorded Music and Virtue Broadcasting Ltd have announced a strategic agreement.

As part of the agreement, Virtue Broadcasting ( www.virtuebroadcasting.ca) becomes EMI's preferred webcast service provider for EMI's U.K. labels and its recommended provider in other countries. Also, Virtue Broadcasting receives EMI's first European Internet radio license and will work with EMI to generate new exclusive Web programming.

EMI (www.emigroup.com) receives a small stake in Virtue Broadcasting and access to Virtue Broadcasting's range of streaming, hosting, digitization and Internet production services.

"Virtue Broadcasting's expertise in Webcasting and streaming media will be key to the success of marketing EMI's many artists online," said Jay Samit, senior vice president, New Media, EMI Recorded Music. "We're very pleased to be forming a strategic relationship with a company which has built up such a track record of success in a relatively short period of time."

In the past, EMI and Virtue Broadcasting have worked together on numerous Internet broadcasts including Paul McCartney, Blur and Richard Ashcroft.