China Mobile and Star, the Hong Kong-based TV and entertainment subsidiary of media conglomerate News Corp., have unveiled the launch of V Wireless Original Music, a platform for developing and distributing new, original Chinese music.
V Wireless Original Music is the first joint project between China Mobile and Star since they established a strategic partnership in June, when the Hong Kong-based mobile communications company bought a 19.9% stake in Phoenix Satellite Television, also based in Hong Kong, from Star.
Attending the Nov. 11 launch ceremony were China Mobile chairman/CEO Wang Jianzhou and News Corp. chairman/CEO Rupert Murdoch. China Mobile claims to have the largest mobile subscriber base — 287 million — in the world.
In a statement, Star says the new service is designed to encourage “people of all ages and from all over the world to create and upload their original Chinese songs to the dedicated website www.vgongshe.com. Through the Web site, visitors and music experts alike can vote for their favorite songs. Outstanding songs at the top of the chart will then be developed into music videos for broadcast on popular TV channels across China including Channel V.”
Under the partnership, China Mobile will set up a dedicated site called V Wireless Original Music on its WAP platform, enabling subscribers to download songs directly to their mobile handsets. Subscribers will also be able to vote for their favorite songs.
The writer of the song with the largest number of votes will be awarded the best original music songwriter award at the annual Channel V Chinese Music Awards.
