Indie-Music.com Interview With AirPlay Direct CEO Robert Weingartz
“A digital delivery system for artists and record labels to safely, securely and efficiently deliver their music directly to radio stations around the world” is how Airplay Direct describes their business in company literature. Simply put, artists and labels can stop shipping physical CDs to radio stations, and start delivering digital tracks via fast online network. Imagine the cost savings over traditional promotion where you ship a physical CD to each and every radio station. With Airplay Direct, there’s no more promo packs, labels, tape, or trips to the post office. Radio Stations can join for free, and get access to a library of “broadcast quality” songs which are instantly available for download. No more piles of CDs cluttering the station! Just login to a secure Airplay Direct account, browse new music, then download it directly to the station’s computers. What could be simpler? By Suzanne Glass
CEO Robert Weingartz described Airplay Direct’s founding this way, “Quite honestly, the company was created out of my frustration as a label owner with trying to service the growing number of radio outlets on a very limited budget. I came up with the idea after several conversations with different people in the industry regarding how we might better utilize
technology to service radio programmers globally”. Weingartz, who has a background in music ranging from owning an ultra-indie label / artist development company, to songwriting, to music / video production, recently discussed Airplay Direct in an email interview with Indie-Music.com
Indie-Music: What is Airplay Direct’s customer / business philosophy?
Robert Weingartz: I have been involved with independent music for over 20 years now. I have always had a burning desire to find new ways to help level the playing field for artists with great music, but limited resources. In creating Airplay Direct, I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to utilize digital delivery, just as the majors have been doing for years now. I wanted to have a “no barriers to entry” offer that would make it inexpensive, quick and trouble free for artists at any level. If the artists are truly willing to work at growing their global radio exposure footprint, Airplay Direct is a very smart tool that can be utilized to that end. I take great pride in knowing that we are helping deliver new music, by interesting artists, to radio programmers around the world… programmers that might not otherwise have access to this incredible music.
Indie-Music: How does AirPlay Direct work with an artist’s overall promotional plan?
Robert Weingartz: Airplay Direct’s digital delivery service should be viewed as a “smart tool” to be utilized as part of an overall radio promotion strategy. Airplay Direct does offer a free radio promotions self-help guide that gives a basic overview of how to put together and execute a DIY radio campaign. We can also refer artists to some great radio promotions firms that offer services for a fee.
Indie-Music: What is the process artists must go through to upload their “broadcast quality” tracks? Do artists create the files, or does AirPlayDirect create and upload them?
Robert Weingartz: Airplay Direct’s process was designed to make it as easy as possible for the artist, based on their individual level of comfort with technology. If an artist is comfortable with converting their music to our “broadcast quality” standard, we let them handle the conversion and the direct upload to our system themselves. If the artist would prefer that we handle it, they can just mail us a package and Airplay Direct will handle the conversion and upload process free of charge.
Indie-Music: How do you define a “broadcast quality” track?
Robert Weingartz: Airplay Direct has a strict and consistent “broadcast quality” policy of utilizing only the highest quality 320k MP3.
Indie-Music: What types of radio stations have you attracted to join so far? How do you find radio stations to join Airplay Direct?
Robert Weingartz: Airplay Direct is a free service to all radio programmers globally, across all genres. We have now registered hundreds of stations that span genres from rock, to rap, to Christian, to blues, to techno, to pop, to country, to R&B, to jazz, to classical, etc. Radio programmers are attracted to Airplay Direct and register for various reasons; they saw an ad in a trade publication, they have heard about us from other radio programmers, they are directed to our site by artists and labels utilizing our service, etc. Quite honestly, good news travels fast and Airplay Direct is providing a service that is very much needed by artists and radio programmers alike. And I guess the price is right… it’s free to everyone on both sides of the equation.
Indie-Music: What promotions are you currently offering to radio stations, labels, and artists?
Robert Weingartz: Airplay Direct is a free service to all radio programmers. Also, Airplay Direct is currently offering all artists and labels the opportunity to register with us at www.AirPlayDirect.com, build a mini artist web site and post 3 “broadcast quality” tracks free of charge! The catch is… there is no catch. You can try this revolutionary new service absolutely free and utilize the same technology that the majors have been utilizing for years. The amount of time and money you save can be put towards other worthwhile promotional / marketing efforts.