MusicCine, which connects film, tv and video production companies with independent bands and artists, has signed on the new Oxygen TV channel to their subscriber list. Oxygen, which has Oprah Winfrey as one of it’s partners will officially launch it’s cable network in February.

Another key player in this network is Geraldine Laybourne. She’s a veteran cable television executive and born-again entrepreneur. Her Oxygen Media is a multimedia company, aimed primarily at women, that pursues the ever-elusive goal of convergence-combining the entertainment power of television with the interactivity and specificity of the Internet. "Five years from now we'd like to be in 50 million homes with a cable network and to be part of women's daily lives on-line," she says.

She has found some powerful believers, raising something in the neighborhood of $100 million in cash and property (Web sites and libraries of TV programs). She's landed a cable commitment from Tele-Communications, Inc. and an offer to raise big bucks from Morgan Stanley. Walt Disney Co. and America Online Inc. have taken undisclosed equity positions. So have talk show host Oprah Winfrey, as well as Marcy Carsey, Thomas Werner and Caryn Mandabach-the team that created The Cosby Show, Roseanne and 3rd Rock from the Sun, among others-who have agreed to provide original programming.

With all of this programming, there’s a huge need for music and Oxygen is really going after the independent music industry. The music department at Oxygen is excited about subscribing to MusicCine and feels it will make finding the right music a great deal easier and certainly much more efficient. All MusicCine artists are carefully screened so that only the best are presented to their clients.