Mnet's parent firm CJ E&M expands tie-ups with automobile company

CJ E&M's website, KIA Motors' K7 [CJ E&M, KIA Motors]

Korea's media firm CJ Entertainment and Media is expanding its business collaborations with an automobile company to provide music and media services in cars.

CJ E&M, a media-related branch from CJ Corporation, one of Korea's largest conglomerates, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Seoul-based automobile company KIA Motors at KIA's head office located in southern part of Seoul, South Korea, on June 13.

"The inner space of a car is combined with mobile technologies and more and more, the in-car technology is becoming personalized and differentiated. This is creating new lifestyles for customers," KIA Motors' C.E.O. Lee Sam-woong was quoted as saying, expressing his anticipation for the partners' future projects.

Under the MOU, CJ E&M and KIA will collaborate on providing media contents with mobile terminal equipments in cars and plan marketing programs that are customized to different target consumer groups, such as children, females, business workers and travelers.

The officials stressed two key words in the statement, "Smart Media" and "Smart Music," which refer to allowing users' access to personalized radio services and sharing their favorite songs on social networking services.

The epoch-making services will also enable drivers to download video contents, such as TV shows, movies and performances, directly through electronic devises installed in cars.

All planned to happen in order until 2015, the promoters say that Smart Media agendas include N-Screen Services to provide users integrated platforms for multi-devices.

"With KIA's outstanding automobile technology and CJ E&M's diverse cultural contents, I'm expecting this deal will contribute to creating new auto-cultures and lifestyles," CJ E&M C.E.O. Kim Sung-soo said, speaking about the partnership's future schemes.

Entering the media and entertainment market in 1995 under the name Multimedia Operation Division of Chaeil Jedang, CJ E&M began expanding business by going into partnerships with global media firms, including Walt Disney in 1996 and Universal Music the next year.

After changing its name several times, the Korean conglomerate became CJ E&M in 2011 and is now running businesses ranging from modern multiplex theaters to broadcasting to management.

CJ E&M C.E.O. Kim Sung-soo (left) and KIA Motors C.E.O. Kim Sam-woong posing at the ceremony held to sign a memorandum of understanding in Seoul, Korea on June 13 [CJ E&M]

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Editor : Monica Suk monicasuk@