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Lahiri Media ventures online music distrib.
Free download
of digital music - the legal way. Bangalore-based Lahiri Media,
the e-commerce off-shoot of Lahiri Recording is all set to
foray into the online distribution/syndication of music business.
To this end, the company has entered into a technology alliance
with Israel-based EverAd Inc to use its technology platform
to power the digital downloads. The company is targeting five
key channels of distribution -- Internet, cable, wireless,
radio and television -- to offer on-demand personalised and
customised music content from the Lahiri music catalogues.
The key focus markets include the ASEAN and Middle-East countries
which have a significant NRI population. Strategic tie-ups
with leading Indian portals, cable operators and Internet
Service Providers are currently being worked out.
Lahiri Media, following its new initiatives, is also in talks
with venture capitalists to raise approximately Rs. 10 crore.
The funds are expected to come in by January next year.
Under the alliance with EverAd Inc, Lahiri music will use
the technology platform designed and patented by EverAd --
Play J technology -- to facilitate end-consumers to freely
download legal music files from the Website.
Specific advertisements packaged along with the music file
will also be downloaded simultaneously onto the consumers
download media, thereby opening up both online and offline
channels of advertising.
Lahiri Media Vice-President Indraneel Mukherjee said: "The
user has a choice of opting for free music downloads which
would also have advertisements. A monthly subscription model
can also be worked out. The user could choose personalised
music for download on a CD with the help of a CD writer or
store music on the hard disk itself."
The entire catalogue from Lahiri is piracy resilient because
of the digital rights management security services available
with Play J technology and also enabling the company to capture
a detailed user profile. Using this database, the company
was planning to offer selective push advertising services,
Mukerjee said.
As part of its focus on the cable operator segment, Lahiri
Media has also tied up with Atria Group in Bangalore to provide
music on demand services via its cable television network.
Currently, the company is the market leader in the South-Indian
music industry and is looking at expanding its markets globally
with a view to gaining global accessibility for Indian music
titles. "The key revenue stream for Lahiri Media would
be from online advertising (using EverAd technology to power
the service) on portals. Since we have an equal revenue sharing
between the music label, EverAd and the distributors (cable
operators, portals and ISPs), there would be a 3-way split
in the revenue," he added.
Revenues from Lahiri Media was expected to account for 15
per cent of the total revenues of Lahiri Recording, Mukerjee
said. Lahiri Recording has totted up revenues of Rs 10 crore
and is targeting revenues of Rs. 12 crore this year.
Lahiri Media is drawing up plans to set up music dromes across
India, the US and Europe with a view to expand the market
for it music titles. Twenty such music domes (which will have
kiosks, music vending systems, computerised play stations,
etc) are expected to be on-stream within a year.
The Lahiri Center for Creative Experience, which is aimed
at being a complete music village is also in the pipeline.
Lahiri Recording is drawing up plans to make an initial public
offering (IPO) in the coming year. However, the modalities
and listing details are currently being worked out.
Kavitha
Rajshekar & Preeti Mishra
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