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| Agreement between Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link In a landmark agreement, music industry giant Billboard, owned by VNU Business Media, announced a broad-based relationship with Hanshin Contents Link that promises to usher in the next generation of music and entertainment in Japan. The deal unites two global powerhouses in a wide-reaching agreement spanning live entertainment, publishing, television and radio programs, Web sites, digital products and other marquee music properties. Hanshin Contents Link President/CEO Tsuneaki Miyazaki and VNU Business Media CEO Robert Krakoff executed the agreement. Hanshin Contents Link, which also owns the Hanshin Tigers baseball team, looks to Billboard to bring its musical expertise and brand cachet to the company's entertainment and division. Hanshin Contents Link will operate Billboard Live clubs in Osaka and Fukuoka as well as an exclusive venue in Tokyo in the Summer 2007. The clubs will offer live performances of jazz, pop and classical music. "Our agreement with Hanshin Contents Link is an exciting new chapter in our magazine's 112-year history, " said Krakoff. "Music plays a vital role in both of our cultures and this deal allows us to enhance our impact on a robust market." A new Web site, www.billboard-japan.com, will be launched as a portal site for music information, charts, music downloads, CD/DVD merchandise and other products. "The deal we have entered with VNU Business Media for the Billboard operation in our territory is very significant for our company, Hanshin Contents Link, and for the entire music industry in Japan, " said Miyazaki. "Not only are we opening Billboard Live in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka in Summer 2007, we are committed to exploiting business possibilities with Billboard as aggressively as possible, and hope to lead the music industry in Japan." The Hanshin Contents Link agreement represents the latest bold initiative for Billboard. In the past decade, Billboard has grown beyond its print roots to become the global authority on music. It is read in more than 100 countries and has over 2.8 million unique monthly Web site visitors. The annual Billboard Music Awards are broadcast live annually. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |