Hmmm, well if it ain't a sign of the times when a radio station invests in a digital music distribution business run by two giant record labels..
Yesterday B&T reported that Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music's Digital Music Distribution (DMD) CEO Mike Shaw has stated that Southern Cross Austereo made the decision to back DMD because;
"They have obviously had the vision to see where the music distribution business is going and they have obviously seen there are opportunities beyond just radio and television " With all respect Mr Shaw, it's not rocket science.
Southern Cross Austereo will become equal shareholders in the DMD business which currently supplies content to Foxtel and Satellite Music Australia. Oh yes, and the radio stations will also be streaming through DMD.
DMD is supposedly due to launch Songl in the coming weeks with Southern Cross Austero content more than likely to be incorporated into the service which will complete with other digital music subscription players Rdio and Spotify.
I hope this is not a precursor to the death of radio. I even like it when there are old men on the tram with transistor's crackling out the races or the cricket. I like the radio. I like the sounds that come out of a transistor, I don't want a clean sterile digital world I want an interesting textural aural journey that you can only get with a radio, the ambience,atmosphere and mood it creates. You just don't get that with digital music subscription services. And what will happen to Frank Walker of Frank Walkers Tiles in a radio free world?
