UKPA Members Get AIM Podcast Licence Discount

UK Podcasters Association announced today that they have come to an agreement with AIM the UK-based Association of Independent Music which allows their members preferential access to AIM's podcast licence.

For the first time UK podcasters have unlimited access to full length music tracks from top artists such as The White Stripes, Paul Weller, Bloc Party, Echo and the Bunnymen, Dizzee Rascal, Mylo, Basement Jaxx, Editors, Stereophonics, Coldcut to use in their podcasts.

This gives UK Podcasters a unique opportunity to re-write the rules for music podcasting, opening the door for podcasters to move legitimately into traditional broadcast territory, which will hasten the shift towards media on demand.

The AIM podcast licence covers over 30,000 tracks licensed by the UK independent music industry and includes labels such as V2, XL Recordings, Studio !K7, Cooking Vinyl and Beggars Group.

Unlike other podcast licences, the AIM podcast licence ensures that the labels and the artists will be paid as a result of podcasters using their music, and allows for the use of the full track. Radio stations typically remove music from their podcasts.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication, the underlying technology used by blogs and podcasts) delivered content now accounts for 10% of all internet traffic.

Alison Wenham from AIM, said:

"AIM’s licence allows full tracks to be used in Podcasts, which is what consumers and Podcasters want. In the UKPA, we have a partner who appreciates that music should be properly licensed. There are opportunities for the independent sector and the pioneers of podcasting to use a library of over 30,000 full length tracks (and growing rapidly) from some of the premier independent companies and artists, to come up with imaginative programming and give the fans what they want.”

"This is a step forward for the whole of music podcasting in the UK," said UKPA Chairman Dean Whitbread. "It raises the bar for music podcast programme making. Working with the AIM licence is about being responsible with other people's creative work. UKPA upholds the principle of maintaining the value chain of music, and making sure that the rights of musicians and artists, and the industry which brings their music to us, are respected.

"Podcasting can make a real impact on music sales, but this has to be done in a responsible way. UKPA is committed to working with AIM and other organisations and businesses to develop legal music podcasting in the UK."

UK Music Label Sells Vinyl-MP3 Hybrid

A UK label based in Leeds, First Word Records, is selling vinyl records that include downloadable MP3s.

First Word's primary customers are DJs, an often challenging market for record labels... The records are beautifully packaged, double-weight vinyl discs that come with a unique code. With the code, buyers can download an unprotected, 320Kbps MP3 version of the music, to use however they like.

DJs and audiophiles will always want the top end of quality, so they will buy physical media, but for convenience you can't beat a digital file.

First Word cofounder Aly Gillani explains the DRM-free approach in terms that echo those of consumer advocate. "Once a customer has paid for the track they should be free to play it in any player," he says. "Making a legal, paid-for version of the file less useful than a copied or pirated one doesn't make sense." - Wired.

Amazon Podcast Network To Rival iTunes?

"Giant online retailer Amazon.com has launched a series of original podcasts showcasing books, music and general news.

The four inaugural podcasts – which are available through iTunes – include: Amazon BookClips, Music You Should Hear, Significant Seven and Amazon Wire.

The company expects to offer several additional channels in the coming months to "meet its customers' increasing demand for rich content related to the products they shop for every day on Amazon.com," the company said.

Amazon BookClips will be a weekly podcast offering a look at soon-to-be-released audiobooks, incuding scheduled looks at forthcoming titles from Walter Isaacson and Mary Higgins Clark.

Music You Should Hear will be a free, weekly MP3 podcast in which listeners will also receive an MP3 recording featuring complete songs from developing and indie artists, selected by Amazon's music editors.

Significant Seven will be a monthly podcast. Book editors from Amazon.com will talk about seven of the most exciting upcoming books before they are released.

Amazon Wire will be a news and entertainment show. Distributed twice a week, this podcast will feature interviews with leading authors, actors, directors and musicians. Amazon Wire will feature Ralph Nader, John Malkovich and Dolores O'Riordan.

Amazon's news emerges as strong rumours continue to claim the online retailer plans to launch its own competing service to iTunes." - Macworld

Podcasters Promote UK Podcasting

Your very own unique, comprehensive and stylish podcast directory, Podcast Nation, today launched an initiative with web marketing agency Cheeze showcasing the best in UK podcasts. At the Internet World Expo, Earl's court, Jamie Riddell’s well received Web 2.0 keynote speech covered podcasting, social bookmarks, UGC, CRM, Second Life and Twitter.

Dean Whitbread from Talking Voices and the UK Podcasters Association said:

What I really like about this compilation is that everyone seems to find something different to say, not only about their own podcast and reasons for doing it, but about the wonderful world of podcasting and potential for the medium.

In my own 2 minutes at the end, I give a strong shout out for PodcampUK and a direct appeal for sponsorship and involvement. Let’s hope this succeeds in boosting this excellent cross-community grassroots project in the UK.

Let’s also hope that the CD, with it’s nod towards user-friendly convenience in a conventional format, succeeds in presenting UK podcasters as the gifted, hardworking and eminently sponsorable bunch we truly are." - Talking Voices blog.

http://podcastnation.co.uk/tasters/