US media company CBS is launching a record label to be called CBS Records, which will be slightly amusing to all those old timers out there who used to work for CBS Records back in the olden days before it was sold off to Sony Corp in 1988 to create Sony Music. The all new CBS Records will initially operate not altogether unlike the SonyBMG owned SyCo Records (although probably with more of a digital focus), releasing music by artists who gain profile through the media company's own TV programmes, both those aired on CBS' channels, and those made by CBS Paramount Television for other networks. And that's not the only Sony link - former Sony Music exec Larry Jenkins has been involved in developing the new label, and he told the Associated Press last week that the aim is to sign eight artists to the new operation in the first year. Singer/songwriter Will Dailey, who had a track used in a recent episode of CBS' 'Jericho', is the first confirmed signing.
Confirming the launch of a new CBS Records, Les Moonves, President of CBS Corp, told reporters: "With more consumers choosing the online download model as the preferred way to purchase their favourite songs, we have an opportunity to use our unique and broad collection of media platforms to create a new music label paradigm for a small price of admission".