Warners shovel videos onto the web

Warners is bringing huge chunks of its promo video archive online, through an advertising-supported service. It's tied up with Premium TV, who churn out hours of football-related programming at the moment:

The group described its plans as turning traditional marketing spending into something that promotes its artists and simultaneously generates revenues. Warner said after its recent news of a 7% fall in music sales that it was changing from a traditional record business into a "music-based content company".

The Premium TV deal is a key part of that, according to Patrick Vien, chief executive of Warner Music International.

"These unique digital hubs will further enable us to monetise our content across the myriad of ever-developing ways that people enjoy music," he said.

Doesn't the idea of a monetised content on a unique digital hub make you want to go out and learn how to play guitar?

Meanwhile, Warners haven't given up hopes of swallowing down EMI, but EMI's desperate bid to merge with the people who run Germany's motorway service stations has led to them saying they won't accept an offer of less than three pounds a share from Warners. Terra Firma has bid at 265p, which is already over the odds; the excess price the board want from Warners is to offset the long regulatory hurdles that would come from a big-two-merger.