Launch, Road Runner Form Web Music Duet

Launch Media and Road Runner are expected to announce a strategic partnership today that will put Launch’s music content on the high-speed Internet service. The Santa Monica firm will provide streaming music videos, music tracks that may be downloaded, interviews, concert performances and exclusive editorial content to Road Runner’s 250,000 subscribers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. David Goldberg, Launch’s chief executive, said the deal is expected to help both companies gain new subscribers. Broadband access could also provide an alternative means of delivery for Launch’s multimedia music magazine, which is now delivered on CD-ROMs, he said. Shares of Launch fell 19 cents Friday to close at $14.25 in Nasdaq trading. Road Runner--a cable-based service jointly owned by Time Warner, MediaOne Group, Microsoft, Compaq and Advance/Newhouse--offers high-speed service in parts of Southern California and 16 other states. Road Runner is expected to announce a similar deal today with ChannelSeek, which offers an online guide to audio and video Webcasts.