Universal Music Netherlands has reached an agreement with Dutch Webcasting specialist Fabchannel.com to record and distribute live performances of the music giant’s acts.
Through the blanket arrangement, unveiled today, Fabchannel will tape Universal Music artists performing at the Paradiso venue in Amsterdam, and other related venues. All footage will be subject to management approval.
Fabchannel boasts an archive of more than 850 exclusive live concerts filmed at the Paradiso and nearby Melkweg clubs, including gigs by Simple Minds, Damien Rice and the Frames. But until now, only independent label acts had signed up.
Justin Kniest, CEO of Fabchannel, says Universal’s participation represents a massive breakthrough for his company, which counts the Paradiso, Dutch investment firm Foreman Capital, and the City of Amsterdam among its stakeholders.
“Together we’re going to create new channels,” he tells Billboard.biz. “Not only are we content creators, but we are creating the platform — the Internet technologies — and we have some ideas of the future of our business.”
For the first few months, visitors to the Fabchannel site will have first view of the concert videos, which will stream following a pre-roll ad. Universal Music will then deliver the video and audio downloads to purchase from online music stores and mobile services.
“We can create content which both of us can monetize,” he explains. “If we make money from ads or a subscription model, [Universal] get revenue share of our business. And the other way around, when they sell the material worldwide though their distribution network, we get a revenue share from that. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
A recent Paradiso concert by Jimmy Eat World is the first taped under the new arrangement, and is currently waiting for clearance. Plans are to roll out the formula to other markets. “We’re now looking at partnerships in the U.K., Germany and America,” says Kniest. “We plan to hook up the Paradisos of Europe, and record shows every day.”
