Daniel Altman's eye on the world economy. Today in Technology Media Warner Music and Sony BMG start digital music venture in Russia Proposed accord would give Murdoch broad power over editorial staffing at The Wall Street Journal Bear Stearns fund chief struggles to fend off the hordes government in April named China and Russia as the biggest violators of American copyrights and patents for the second straight year. trade representative s office singled out the Russia-based music-sharing Web site Allofmp3.
com and the Silk Market in Beijing as being centers of piracy. The International Intellectual Property Alliance, which represents movie, software, music and book companies, has estimated that its members lost $2.18 billion in Russia in 2006.
Oleg Tumanov, chairman of Digital Access, said the new venture would try to establish relations with all market players interested in developing a legitimate digital content market in Russia. The company will work with rights owners, content providers, mobile operators and online stores in making music available from the companies extensive catalogues rather than dealing with consumers directly. Warner Music entered the Russian market late last year with a deal to supply songs and ringtones to the mobile phone operator VimpelCom, and music companies have been signing deals with mobile phone operators, partly as a way to try to combat widespread piracy in the country.
Sony BMG is home to artists like Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Michael Jackson. Warner represents Madonna, Eric Clapton and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Back to top Daniel Altman's eye on the world economy.
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