| MUMBAI:
CD compilation series, Now That's What I Call Music!, will partner with
Simon Fuller - founder of 19 Entertainment, and creator of American Idol
- to bring
the "Now" brand to television and internet. The
announcement comes as "Now" celebrates a decade of hits in the US with
a 10th anniversary CD, and coincides with "Now" UK's 25th birthday.
The
"Now" series has sold over 72 million CDs in the US alone. Now
CEO Bob Mercer says, "Fuller is negotiating on behalf of the 19 Entertainment/Now
partnership, beginning with a US network television show." Although
details of the show's content are still under wraps, Mercer says that it will
be an interactive programme using both TV and the internet. "Fuller
believes as I do that "Now" is a perfect window to what is current and
happening in the music world today. Adding his un-matched TV expertise will make
this a unique program," says Mercer. Fuller
adds, "I am excited by the prospect of this partnership with Now because
I think we have the opportunity to create an important and innovative new music
show. Music
reaches out across boundaries and cultural borders; a global music show can take
a song to any part of the planet, and the first performance of new songs and videos
will become real events, just like they used to be." The
Now That's What I Call Music! series is a compilation and joint venture
between EMI Music, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group. The series
debuted in the US in 1998. | 
