Playdio service to launch in early June, with opening shows by Phill Jupitas & Phil Wilding, Peter Curran, Mark Webster, Dom Servini, TALC. More presenters to be confirmed shortly.
Occasionally, the solution to a problem addresses issues and provides features you weren’t even considering. That’s what we’ve found with Playdio. The problem we were addressing was how to create podcast-type content with fully licenced music. There have been a number of initiatives in the podcasting community over the past few years trying to tackle this very issue including attempts at blanket podcast agreements, or very specific one off waivers. These solutions are very limiting and cumbersome, and in the case of blanket licensing agreements they are also unfair to artists, as the distribution of licensing income usually relies on download and repertoire estimates.
Of course, regardless of the licensing mechanism, the overriding issue for a podcaster or programme maker is this: how do you compensate a licence holder for exploiting their work if the medium you are working in doesn’t even provide the programme maker with an earning mechanism?
By hosting radio shows in a streaming music environment, we immediately solve the primary issues of licensing and earning. All the music is fully licenced AND there is an earning mechanism for the show’s producer. Bingo!
However, the real beauty is the monetisation method… The adverts and subscriptions are completely remote from the program itself. This ‘indirectness’ frees the programme maker to create the radio show he or she wants, without ever having to consider the whims or motives of a sponsor. It is one of the few examples of an advertising funded model where advertising pays the piper, but doesn’t call the tune.
The other, almost incidental feature, is the control the consumer has over the show, and the additional richness of the listening experience. Listeners to a Playdio show can accurately navigate forward and back through the playlist, but perhaps more importantly, they can move ‘sideways’, navigating through an artist’s complete catalogue, adding tracks to their own playlist, and buying MP3s direct from the client as they go. Playdio shows are an ideal avenue into music discovery.
Playdio, as an idea, isn’t revolutionary. It’s simple… almost obvious. We certainly wouldn’t claim to have invented anything. In fact, the best we can say about Playdio is that we’ve dreamt up a novel chassis to sit on some very clever wheels. We plan to open the showroom in early June.
Stay tuned…