EMI partners with China's largest search engine

Tuesday January 16, 2007

This will mark the first revenue-sharing arrangement between an internet search engine and international music company in China ,and both parties have also agreed to explore developing advertising-supported music download services.

The deal will see Chinese repertoire from EMI’s Typhoon Music joint venture company being made available for streaming, at no charge, to all users of Baidu. Consumers will be exposed to internet advertising while listening to the music and EMI and Baidu will share the revenue generated.

Baidu will set up an EMI Music Zone in its music search channel, which will legally stream all of EMI Music’s Chinese repertoire.

Baidu chairman and CEO Robin Li says, "We believe this co-operation between Baidu and EMI will create a meaningful eco-system for value generating services for Baidu users, content providers and advertisers.

“The co-operation with EMI, the world’s best music major and number one Chinese repertoire music company, has set the stage for win-win co-operation between the internet and music industries. It also sets the direction and a new model for future ongoing digital music business development in the internet.”

Baidu is the largest internet portal in China and the fourth largest in the world.