Channel 4 is teaming up with Emap, the magazine publisher behind Heat, Smash Hits and Q, in a bid to become the “formidable force” in music television in the UK.

The two companies have signed a joint venture to explore dozens of initiatives, such as new digital TV channels and video on-demand.

Emap moved into music TV just over a decade ago when it bought Box Television for £6 million.

It now has seven music channels on digital TV platforms such as Freeview, including The Box, Magic, Kerrang! and The Hits, the market leader.

Channel 4 has already branched out into the wider music market by using its T4 teen brand to run a series of T4 on the Beach summer music festivals.

Under today’s deal Channel 4 is buying a 50 per cent share of Box Television for £28 million.

An additional £4 million will be paid depending on the success of the joint venture over the next three years.

The two companies have already worked together in 4 Digital, the Channel 4-led consortium that was recently awarded the UK’s second nationwide digital radio licence.

Under the new licence, Emap plans to launch a digital radio station based on Closer, the company’s celebrity gossip magazine.

Industry experts believe that despite the huge growth of digital music in recent years, there are still major opportunities to expand in both the music TV and mobile phone markets.

The global market for full track music downloads on mobile phones is expected to hit nearly £1 billion by 2011.

Paul Keenan, the chief executive of Emap Consumer Media, said today: “This alliance between Emap and Channel 4 will enable us to increase our music brands’ presence on new and emerging platforms.

“Emap and Channel 4 are likeminded partners and together we make a formidable force in an otherwise fragmenting and challenging market.”

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