IBM has unveiled software that it claims will provide customers with the ability to protect and secure copyrighted and digital content for content management, distribution and ecommerce applications.

The company, which has been developing the Electronic Media Management (EMM) software for five years, said it includes support for open standards and can support and secure all types of digital media, including audio, text, video and streaming media.

In addition, EMM provides customers with an information infrastructure that enables them to wrap files in a digital package which can only be unlocked with a digital key. The key will be issued to the purchaser of the file.

Big Blue explained that the system has been designed to allow the creator of the file to set up the rules about copying.

For example, entertainment content creators could share digital assets and assign rights to a broader range of content. In healthcare, a provider could transfer digitised patient records between doctors without compromising their security.

Government agencies that generate video from surveillance technology or scanned satellite images could also benefit from EMM's rights management capability, as it can be used to prevent theft and unauthorised use and access, as well as ensure authenticity of the content, according to the company.

FreePlay Music said it has been working with IBM to provide a digital media technology that enables television broadcasters and copyright holders to better manage, deploy and report musical assets.

The software will track music usage during broadcasts by monitoring inaudible audio 'watermarks', and can provide accurate and timely music cue-sheet reports of all broadcast usage, royalty distribution and market penetration for music rights holders.