BUSINESS BRIEFING / INTERNET

YouTube, the video-sharing website owned by Google Inc., is in discussions with Vivendi’s Universal Music Group to create an online music website, two people familiar with the situation said.

The talks are still at an early stage, said the people, who declined to be named because the discussions are private. Universal reportedly approached YouTube about the idea at the end of last year and proposed a site that would include videos from all the major music labels.

Under the partnership being discussed, YouTube would provide the technology to sell advertising accompanying music videos, one of the people said. The discussions are unlikely to result in a joint venture between YouTube and Universal, another person said.