SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT and Warner Music Group Announce Investment in ACCESS China Media Solutions, a Leading Digital Media Technology Company in China

SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT and Warner Music Group Announce Investment in ACCESS China Media Solutions, a Leading Digital Media Technology Company in China

February 02, 2007

ACCESS China Media Solutions - a Company Formed by ACCESS
CO., LTD., and MELODEO, Inc. - Develops Secure and Trusted
Digital Media Technology Solutions for Media Companies and
Mobile Operators


    BEIJING, NEW YORK, and SEATTLE, Feb. 2
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Warner Music Group (NYSE: WMG), SONY
BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, ACCESS CO., LTD., MELODEO, Inc. and
ACCESS China Media Solutions today announced they are
working together to develop and distribute world-class
solutions for delivering mobile music and multimedia
entertainment to wireless customers throughout China and
other Asia Pacific marketplaces and beyond. 

    Warner Music Group and SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
have each made a strategic investment in ACCESS China Media
Solutions, a company formed by ACCESS CO., LTD., and
MELODEO, Inc.  With this investment, Warner Music Group and
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT are now key partners in ACCESS
China Media Solutions, adding both capital and marketplace
expertise. 

    ACCESS China Media Solutions develops cutting-edge
music based mobile platforms for wireless carriers and
handset manufacturers.  These platforms provide consumers
with the highest-quality music experience available on the
mobile handset, incorporating user-friendly interfaces and
innovative mobile music products.  

    Music companies have long sought a secure, economically
viable way to distribute their content in China and
throughout the world.  Piracy of both physical CDs and
online digital music has made these efforts difficult over
the past decade.  

    In contrast, mobile phone networks are inherently more
secure, and have a built-in payment system that is ideal
for the sale of high-value, copyrighted digital media. 
ACCESS China Media Solutions was formed to develop
solutions designed specifically to securely deliver mobile
music and multimedia content to wireless customers.  

    Ultimately, ACCESS China Media Solutions seeks to
encourage the growth of a vibrant, legitimate digital music
business in China and beyond that will foster the creative
and economic development of regional music companies,
recording artists and songwriters by ensuring that they are
properly compensated for their work.

    "This investment by Warner Music Group and SONY
BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT a strong show of faith in bringing
together all the key elements to unlock the power of
digital music marketing on mobile platforms," said
Wayne Zhang, CEO of ACCESS China Media Solutions.  "We
believe this partnership represents a pivotal point in the
industry as we work together in this joint venture (ACCESS
China Media Solutions) to unleash a new wave in the music
business.  Together we have the content, proven
technologies, and network operators' support to ensure that
wireless customers can get their music and multimedia
entertainment content the way they want it, whenever and
wherever."

    "Our participation in this company is an integral
part of our overall strategy to innovate and develop the
legitimate music marketplace around the world,"
commented Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business,
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.  "At SONY BMG we are
particularly excited about the opportunities from
distributing music on mobile phones in China, and this
project complements our successful Chinese direct licensing
activities for digital music.  ACCESS China Media Solutions
is offering next generation mobile music platforms, to be
used, for example, for mobile podcasting and Full Track
Downloads.  As one of the leading major music companies in
the world providing a huge depth of international and
Mandarin repertoire we are keen to see these technologies
introduced into the marketplace by our new joint venture in
conjunction with major local mobile phone operators." 


    "As the first major music company to open a
dedicated Chinese office in 2000 and the first to strike a
direct, catalog-wide content agreement with a Chinese
mobile operator in 2006, Warner Music Group views ACCESS
China Media Solutions as an important advancement in our
longstanding commitment to the dynamic Chinese music
business," said Alex Zubillaga, Executive Vice
President, Digital Strategy and Business Development,
Warner Music Group.   "We're confident that with
ACCESS's technology deployment expertise and MELODEO's
cutting edge platforms and user-interfaces, this new
venture will unlock tremendous opportunities for content
owners, wireless operators and consumers alike in the
largest mobile marketplace in the world, which is the
strategic key to the music business in this region." 


    "Ensuring that digital music and entertainment
content is delivered securely is crucial for all
participants in the wireless marketplace," said
William Valenti, Founder/EVP, MELODEO, Inc.  "MELODEO
is committed to providing solutions that enable the
delivery of on-demand digital content in the most
user-friendly mode.  As part of the ACCESS China Media
Solutions joint venture, we are pleased to work with such
content and technology leaders as SONY BMG MUSIC
ENTERTAINMENT, Warner Music Group and ACCESS."

    "As part of our mission to build a connected
world, we're excited to be part of this joint venture along
with industry leaders SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, Warner
Music Group and MELODEO to help develop and deliver a
commercialized solution for safely and securely delivering
digital music and entertainment content to wireless
customers," said Toru Arakawa, CEO, President and
co-founder of ACCESS CO., LTD.  "Providing the mobile
phone industry with a powerful and secure digital music
delivery solution benefits all members of the mobile
ecosystem-operators, handset and device manufacturers,
content providers, application developers and artists. And
most importantly, the wireless customers benefit with
access to the music they want to hear." 

    About ACCESS China Media Solutions

    Formed as a joint venture between ACCESS CO., LTD., and
MELODEO, Inc, in early 2006, ACCESS China Media Solutions
develops technologies and solutions designed to enable the
secure delivery of digital music and multimedia content to
wireless customers.  The company is focused on providing
wireless operators and handset manufacturers world-class
solutions to power advanced digital music and entertainment
content services.

    About ACCESS CO., LTD.

    ACCESS CO., LTD. is a global company providing leading
technology, software products and platforms for web
browsing, mobile phones, wireless handhelds and other
networked devices . ACCESS' product portfolio, including
its NetFront(TM) Browser, Palm OS(R) and the ACCESS Linux
Platform(TM) provide customers with solutions that enable
faster time-to-marketplace, flexibility and
customizability.  The company, headquartered in Tokyo,
Japan, operates 29 subsidiaries and affiliates within Asia,
Europe and the United States.  ACCESS is listed on the Tokyo
Stock Exchange Mothers Index under the number 4813.  For
more information about ACCESS, please visit
http://www.access-company.com/ .

    About MELODEO, Inc.

    MELODEO Inc., a leader in synchronized Web / mobile
digital media delivery, is dedicated to bringing consumers
the best selection of on-demand podcasts, video and radio
programs for the Web and mobile phone.  MELODEO combines
powerful content, a simple user interface and access from
any device, making it easy to enjoy and share music, video
and podcasts on any topic with friends. 

    Web site: http://www.melodeo.com/

    About SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

    SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT is a global recorded music
joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes
a broad array of both local artists and international
superstars, as well as a vast catalog that comprises some
of the most important recordings in history.  SONY BMG
MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and
50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.
 
    About Warner Music Group

    Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music
company to be publicly traded in the United States in May
2005.  With its broad roster of new stars and legendary
artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the
best-known record labels in the music industry including
Asylum, Atlantic, Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra,
Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Perfect Game, Reprise, Rhino,
Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word.  Warner Music
International, a leading company in national and
international repertoire, operates through numerous
international affiliates and licensees in more than 50
countries. Warner Music Group also includes Warner/Chappell
Music, one of the world's leading music publishers. For more
information about Warner Music Group, visit our corporate
website at http://www.wmg.com .

    Copyright (C) 2007, ACCESS CO.,LTD., MELODEO, Inc.,
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, WARNER MUSIC GROUP

    ACCESS, ACCESS Linux Platform, NetFront, and certain
other trade names, trademarks and logos are trademarks or
registered trademarks of ACCESS CO.,LTD, and ACCESS Systems
Americas, Inc., which may be registered in Japan, the United
States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and other
countries.  PalmSource, Palm OS, Palm Powered and certain
other trade names, trademarks and logos are trademarks
which may be registered in the United States, France,
Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and other countries and
are either owned by ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc. or its
affiliates, or are licensed exclusively to ACCESS Systems
Americas, Inc. by Palm Trademark Holding Company, LLC. 
These marks may not be used in connection with any product
or service that does not belong to ACCESS Systems Americas,
Inc. (except as expressly permitted by a license with ACCESS
Systems Americas, Inc.), in any manner that is likely to
cause confusion among customers, or in any manner that
disparages or discredits ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc., its
licensor, its subsidiaries or affiliates.

    The registered trademark LINUX(R) is owned by Linus
Torvalds, owner of the mark in the U.S. and other
countries, and licensed exclusively to the Linux Mark
Institute.

    SONY and BMG, as used in the name SONY BMG MUSIC
ENTERTAINMENT and in the SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT logo,
are trademarks of, and are used under licenses from, Sony
Corporation and Bertelsmann AG, respectively.

    All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.

    ACCESS Linux Platform is a codename subject to change
upon release of the final product without prior notice, in
the sole discretion of ACCESS CO.,LTD, ACCESS Systems
Americas, Inc., or the applicable third party.


    For more information (press only), please contact:

    ACCESS CHINA MEDIA SOLUTIONS
     Tracy Hu
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
    
    ACCESS CO., LTD.
     China
     Delia Liu
     Tel:   [phone]	
     Email: [e-mail]

    MELODEO, INC.
     Nate Murphy
     MWW Group
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

    SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT 
     John McKay
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

    WARNER MUSIC GROUP
     Will Tanous
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
 
     Amanda Collins
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]


SOURCE  ACCESS China Media Solutions