Microsoft Zune Aims for Hollywood Support

Microsoft is making visits to Hollywood talent agencies. Their goal is to promote the Zune media player.

According to a recent article posted at NewsOXY's Latest Computer Technology section, Microsoft is looking to Hollywood to promote Zune.

Microsoft wants an edge on Apple's iPod. Company executives have been making the rounds at talent agencies and production companies in recent months in hopes of licensing exclusive original video programming for the portable media player.

There is a rumor that Zune would expand into communications with Apple's iPhone, but Microsoft has denied it. However, the company did confirm that Zune is a "exploratory phase" regarding supplementing the TV content it already licenses from studios.

Zune is searching for nonconventional programming that can capitalize on the device's social networking platform.

"What we would be looking to do with any form of original content is the added component that Zune could provide that iTunes or any competing service couldn't," Richard Winn, director of entertainment development at Zune said.

This could either mean locking up content that only appears on the Zune platform or syndicating content that appears first on Zune.

It is difficult to find some point of distinction is becoming paramount for Zune as it strives to come anywhere close to the market share that iPod has amassed among portable media players. In May, Microsoft said that just 2 million Zunes had been sold since the product's launch in November 2006.

Apple reportedly averages 3.5 million iPod sales per month.