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MTV ties up with Microsoft to launch 'Urge', selling music online

by : Roland Waite

Date : Mon, 15 May 2006 16:10:00 GMT

MTV Networks Inc., the cable network group that remained on the fringes of the internet music explosion for several years, has at last decided to take the plunge. It is entering the online music domain with a service called 'Urge'. A beta version is being launched Wednesday.



LOS ANGELES: MTV Networks Inc., the cable network group that remained on the fringes of the internet music explosion for several years, has at last decided to take the plunge. It is entering the online music domain with a service called Urge. A beta version is being launched Wednesday. lt;br / gt; lt;br / gt; MTV is getting the help of Microsoft as Urge will be integrated into the newest version of Windows Media Player. Urge will have more than two million tracks, which can be purchased individually at 99 cents or as full albums starting at $9.95. There is a subscription service under which users can have unlimited downloads upon paying the monthly subscription of $9.95. Users can also transfer songs to any compatible music device under a scheme paying $14.5 a month. lt;br / gt; lt;br / gt; Urge will also offer video downloads later this year. For now, it will have streaming videos. lt;br / gt; lt;br / gt; MTV Networks Music Group president Van Toffler said the music titles made available at Urge will include exclusive appearances by recording artists on programs such as TRL and MTV Unplugged. lt;br / gt; lt;br / gt; Urge will be in direct competition with Apple 's iTunes Music Store, the established player in the segment. Like other rivals including RealNetworks Rhapsody and Napster, Urge is not compatible with Apple 's Macintosh computers or its iPod digital music player. MTV Networks said the service works with several other hand-held music players -- from Samsung, iRiver and other manufacturers. lt;br / gt; lt;br / gt; While iTunes Music Store does not offer subscription, Napster claims it has some half-a-million subscribers and RealNetworks ' Rhapsody nearly 1.7 million paying customers. iTunes has sold more than one billion songs since launch three years ago.



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