Sprint sponsors first 'legal' file-share song

US wireless carrier Sprint has teamed up with Atlantic Records and ArtistDirect’s Media Defender as the first company to underwrite a song to be distributed on file-sharing networks, agreeing to embed its logo on copies of tracks, The New York Post reported yesterday.

Sources familiar with the deal told Post that 16 million audio files embedded with the Sprint company logo will be pushed onto p2p networks over a three-month period in return for a fee (amount undisclosed) to be divided between record labels, technology and publishing companies, and artists.

According to the paper, the move represents another example of the music industry's evolving view of peer-to-peer networks as a potential new source of revenue instead of the bane of its existence.

Major record companies have been bitching over p2p networks for many years now and album sales are down each year more and more. Now Sprint is hoping they can turn things around and/or at least cash-in on the hype.

OK, then. But who wants to see a stupid company logo on your iPod or iTunes while playing a song!?

Not us.

Sprint Takes Lead As 1st Sponsor of File-share Song [NY Post]