All Media Guide’s vast database of rich music content to help WiderThan enhance purchasing experience for wireless music fans
SEOUL, Korea and ANN ARBOR, Mich. — May 10, 2006 — WiderThan (NASDAQ: WTHN), a leading global provider of integrated mobile entertainment solutions for wireless carriers, today announced a direct music data licensing partnership with All Media Guide (AMG), a leading business-to-business provider of descriptive entertainment content and content management technology. Under the agreement, WiderThan will be able to deliver, as an integrated feature of the WiderMusic Service Platform, descriptive artist and album information — ranging from artist biographies to in-depth album reviews — from AMG’s flagship music database.
AMG’s extensive database includes album art, artist biographies, album reviews, and complete discographies with individually rated albums. AMG content currently covers more than 6.9 million popular music tracks tied to over 771,000 albums and more than 276,000 classical compositions from over 118,000 classical albums. The database is split into 20 popular genres with 884 different styles, and encompasses more than 743,000 popular music artists and more than 73,000 classical performers.
“Mobile music is seeing solid growth. It’s the logical next step in AMG’s long history of helping people search for and learn about music. By partnering with WiderThan, we are able to create an exceptional music experience for wireless users that goes far beyond simple album title and track listings,” said Greg Smith, vice president of technologies at AMG. “Together, we can meet the demand for descriptive content services that allow wireless users to access specific artist and album information for their favorite music.”
The WiderThan-All Media Guide partnership meets the needs of wireless carriers looking for a fully integrated mobile music solution. WiderThan will integrate AMG content with its ringback tone, master tone and full track download services. By integrating AMG’s services within its WiderMusic Service Platform, WiderThan eliminates the need for wireless carriers to work with multiple vendors to license the rights to such entertainment content. This deal marks AMG’s first partnership with a wireless mobile entertainment service provider.
“The integration of AMG data reflects our commitment to reducing the licensing burden on our wireless carrier customers. Essentially, we can offer a one-stop-shop for carriers who are looking for comprehensive mobile music services,” said Adrian McAloon, senior director of content and licensing at WiderThan. “At the same time, end-users can enjoy a richer, more holistic mobile music experience through the extensive biography and discography information available from AMG.”
