One Way to Eliminate Waste in the Music Industry

COMMUNITY NEWS

Even though most consumers don’t think of CDs when they think of new music thanks to iPods and other digital devices, the music industry still relies heavily on them to promote their artists’ new music. In a process that hasn’t changed much in decades, record labels send out CDs packaged with printed promotional materials to what are hoped to be the right influencers at radio stations. Radio station personnel, bombarded by these packages, end up not having the time to go through them all and many end up in the trash. Not only are those CDs not recyclable, but it has been estimated that getting them to the stations consumes about 0.7 pounds of fossil fuel per CD, from production to shipping.

Given that this is the digital era, couldn’t there be a better way? Perhaps e-mail? That won’t work since broadcast-quality tracks can’t be sent that way. Most e-mail servers aren’t equipped to handle files of that size. FTP? It’s a better option, but it’s not the most user-friendly way to send promotional materials and music. And, then there’s music piracy. Anything easily available online could be downloaded and shared.

So, how does the music industry go green and digital at the same time? They can turn to digital delivery services like the one operated by Yangaroo. Yangaroo’s Digital Media Distribution System (DMDS) allows record labels to make their artists’ music available online and alert radio stations to its availability by e-mail. Those e-mails contain all the information that was once printed on paper. The files themselves can be downloaded directly into the radio stations’ music library ready for air if the song catches the attention of a DJ or programmer. More importantly, files sent via DMDS are encrypted and protected by a biometric password that only recognizes the typing pattern of the registered user.

Not only does this method solve the environmental problem, but it also allows saves both the labels and radio personnel precious time and money.

- John Heaven
President and CEO of Yangaroo

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