Mobile music mixes with destra music downloads
MELBOURNE – 29 June, 2005 – Australia’s No 1 Digital Music Network, destra Music, wholly owned by destra Corporation Limited (ASX:DES), has signed an agreement with Legion Interactive (wholly owned subsidiary of The Photon Group – ASX:PGA), Australia’s leading provider of interactive communication services, to provide mobile ringtones and album covers (known as wallpapers) in conjunction with destra Music’s online music catalogue. Legion Interactive will provide destraMusic.com with mobile content (ringtones and wall papers) which will be included on the destraMusic.com partner sites and destraMusic.com will provide digital music downloads for Legion’s mobile site BlueSkyFrog.com, Australia’s largest mobile content retailer.
Additionally, the connection between destra and Legion facilitates an Australian first with Premium Rate SMS being offered as a billing method for digital music downloads. Consumers, particularly people without access to a credit card, will now be able to pay for music downloads via their phone bill. “As music becomes more and more mobile, combining full music tracks with ringtones and wallpapers is a logical step forward,” said destra’s CEO, Domenic Carosa. ”Mobile content forms an integral part of destra’s digital convergence strategy.” According to a recent study by Baskerville/Informa Media (Mobile Music, 2nd Edition, Baskerville Communications, Management Report), the ringtone industry, currently valued at about $3 billion world-wide, is expected to make up 12 per cent of total music sales by 2008. In 2003, Australians spent approximately $20 million on ringtones. According to APRA (responsible for keeping track of music royalties), the Australian ringtone market is estimated to reach $42 million in 2005, signaling significant year-on-year growth. destra Music (destramusic.com) was the first company in Australia to launch a legal digital music service in December 2003, offering music through its network of online retail partners. Today destra Music has access to over 500,000 tracks from major record companies including EMI, SonyBMG and FMR, while digital music delivery is managed through retail partners such as Sanity.com.au, Harvey Norman, JB HI-FI.com.au, three ABC online outlets (ABC Shop, triple j, ABC Classic FM) and Chaosmusic.com.au.
- ENDS About destra Corporation Limited destra (ASX:DES) is a leading internet and e-commerce company delivering internet business and consumer entertainment solutions through its two arms – destra Business and destra Media.
destra and Legion mix mobile music with destra digital downloads
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Business communications offerings are delivered through the following divisions – destra Business, ozHosting.com Priority One, Yahoo Web Hosting (by ozHosting.com) and TPP Internet. These divisions service the SME sector through mid tier to large corporations servicing needs in data connectivity, voice communications, managed and virtual hosting and domain name services. destra Media divisions include destra Music – facilitators of the online distribution of digital music; Musicpoint - a web-based service for radio stations providing automated online distribution of new releases; MP3.com.au – Australia’s number one digital music provider for independent and unsigned artists. About Legion Interactive Legion Interactive is an Australian owned, full-service interactive communications specialist. Legion has developed core competencies in competition based promotional marketing and interactive information delivery. Legion utilises a full suite of communication media including telephone services (live and IVR) on 1900, 1800, 13 etc, SMS, Internet, e-mail, WAP, voice portal, telematics and shortly Digital TV. This depth of channel experience provides Legion’s clients with the flexibility to deliver and collect information through the most cost-effective channel. Legion Interactive operates both as a full service sales promotions agency in addition to unbundling specialist services to various direct and agency clients. Legion's client list includes The Seven Network, Network TEN, the Nine Network, John Fairfax, ACP, Pacific Magazines, Time Inc, Austereo, mcm and a host of other major media clients. Additionally, some of Australia’s largest consumer brands trust Legion to assist with their below-the-line marketing. These include Coca-Cola, Unilever, Woolworth’s, MasterCard International, Telstra, Tourism Queensland, McDonald's, Dairy Farmers, Video Ezy and a host of others. Legion Interactive’s Portals, Content and Entertainment Group manages Australia’s leading wireless entertainment and marketing service, BlueSkyFrog.com (BlueSkyFrog), and provides mobile and content solutions to partners and clients. Launched in 1999, BlueSkyFrog was the first company in Australia to offer consumers cross-network SMS messaging, as well as mobile icons, ringtones, picture messages and outbound voice messages. destra Corporation Domenic Carosa Chief Executive Officer 03 8415 9111 Legion Interactive Steven Watson General Manager Portals, Content & Entertainment 02 8302 5047
destra and Legion mix mobile music with destra digital downloads
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