 NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ USA Network) - USA Network and Yahoo! Music today announced that they have entered into an agreement to discover and promote new music and emerging artists through a non-traditional marketing model. The collaboration, the first of its kind for television, seeks to move beyond the boundaries of traditional marketing by enhancing USA Network's slate of innovative programming and promotional content through relevant and breakthrough music. "We're thrilled to be involved in this innovative partnership that has the potential to create a new model for the way musical artists are discovered and developed," said Chris McCumber, USA's senior vice president, marketing & brand strategy. "We look forward to combining the resources and creative synergy of USA, Yahoo! Music and media architect Spencer Proffer to carve a unique sonic brand for the network." "As the music industry continues to evolve, the business of breaking artists depends on creative and integrated deals like this one," said Jay Frank, vice president of programming and label relations, Yahoo! Music. "Yahoo! Music is in a unique position to identify unsigned talent and now has a partner with the reach, content and expertise to help develop the next big recording artist." Yahoo! Music, the No 1 online music destination, is home to LAUNCHcast radio, the Web's top radio service. Yahoo! Music will track consumer feedback and response to independent and unsigned artists on LAUNCHcast and will recommend well-performing artists and music to USA Network based on that research. Under terms of the venture, USA Network will then sign the mutually agreed-upon performing artists, integrating them into the network for an incubation period. Music industry innovator Spencer Proffer of Meteor 17 will oversee the development and promotion of the artists along with USA Network and Yahoo! Music. USA will utilize the artists' recordings for marketing and programming on the network and will benefit from a flexible source of new music for use on all platforms. Yahoo! Music will employ artists' music for further exposure.
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