We’re beginning to look ahead to our next fund drive, and are finding ourselves at a loss. Simply put, jazz CD’s are getting harder and harder to find, and once found, harder to obtain.
We make it a point to check with our distributors before a drive to ensure that we’ll be able to get our hands on enough copies to fulfill our pledges. And increasingly, we’ve been getting to the end of a drive only to hear, “Sorry, but we ran out – we’ll get a reissue in a month or two.”
So how can we get great jazz music into our members’ hands as a thank you for supporting the station? We’d love to reissue some of the gems in our archive, but the rights are tied up by the big companies, or untraceable. We’re currently exploring the possibility of creating a “download account”, by which we could post songs and pay the royalty, per download, on each song. But not everyone is comfortable or familiar with downloading songs, and the process of setting up such a system is going to require legal help and staffing resources – which are spread pretty thin right now!
Would you pledge for a thank you gift that was a music download if we couldn’t get the CD or only had a limited number of CD’s?
What else could we offer that would be so irresistible that it would be worth investing scarce time and resources to get it into your hot little hands? Do you know of a delivery technology that we should be exploring?
Personally I would love downloaded music, especially tasty, rare, out of print albums. This only works for me if (a) music is DRM free and (b) there is a lossless download option like FLAC. MP3s are convenient, but their lossless quality can be be noticeable on high end audio equipment. The audio should truly be CD equivalent quality or better. MP3 are not CD quality. Thanks!
iTunes Podcast many independent and public stations use iTunes Podcast to air shows… Podcast are free to download if you have iTunes on your Mac/pc or mobile devices like iPhone/iPod touch
Here is an example: PS: you need iTunes to open this link.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=94793843
I don’t mind downloads. They provide instant gratification. And I’ve grown tired of the space-eating tendencies of jewel cases on my shelves.
hehe my dad used to be a fan of CD’s he had a great collection of CD’s (all kind of music) I guess we needed more space in our house, he could cover the walls with CD cases hehe… he got rid of the cases, and now he has an special place for the CD’s.
I got an iPod Touch and he gets music from the iTunes store (digital music) of course and sometimes he listens to radio on his iPod with these two popular applications “iHeart radio and SHOUTcast radio.
Anything that will help the station survive is fine by me. I prefer CD’s, but downloads are acceptable.
After a while Ive gotten all the cds I want, the occasional special mix by a dj or of an event would be something I might pledge for.
But for the most part even if there is a disc as a gift I like I will
just pledge anyway without the gift and get the disc at amazon
(through the amazon link on kcsm’s homepage) directly.
everyone wins.
Absolutely! Downloads are a great alternative to CDs in my opinion.
I agree, downloads from the iTunes store are AAC not bad… anyway the general public will not be able to hear the difference between an AAC and AIFF formats.
I think downloadable gifts would be great! As Dan mentioned, though, the quality of the audio file can be a big issue. While most people won’t notice or know the difference, it can be very frustrating for a trained ear to hear a poor quality download. There are a number of lossless formats available, but in the end, I think it will depend on the record label or publisher and how they provide the music to you.
There are several companies which provide strictly online, downloadble album purchases such as http://www.DiscRevolt.net. These albums are usually in mp3 format, but I’m not certain. Another option would be for the station to purchase the actual CD, then do the digital encoding yourselves and simply pay royalties or somehthing similar on the downloads, as you suggest. This would give you control over the digital format and its quality.
In my opinion, it’s easier to find another company which is already providing the services you want and just use them. Building your own always seems to bring unnecessary costs.
– alexander.
I don’t pledge for thank you gifts. I pledge because I believe there’s a value in keeping good music and information on the air.
That said, selling downloads of rare jazz releases on a section of this web site (or through iTunes or Amazon MP3) on an ongoing basis, where proceeds would go to KCSM, is an interesting idea.
I fine with a download or nothing at all. It’s the jazz and the people who broadcast it that are special to me. I have an idea, record the on air shows and let us download those. I’ve made copies of shows that I heard years ago. I still listen to them when I can’t get to the internet.
I would pledge w/o a gift. What is important is that KCSM survive, nay, thrive. That’s truly why we pledge.
Downloads would be a good alternative from whoever. (I personally don’t shop at Amazon – I’m a book sales rep to independent bookstores & Amazon is definitely not good for them – although it helps you).
I also agree w/ Bob Dye – some of the on air shows would be wonderful to have.
Thanks, KCSM for all that ALL of you do for us who love jazz. (and a special shout out to Alyssa Clancy & Morning Cup of Jazz – a terrific way to start my work day!)
I think you should make some nice pork-pie hats with the KCSM branding. I’d wear it with pride. Just kidding. I donate to keep Jazz alive. I mean, I’ve never heard a jazz music station with the balls to play fusion or left-field jazz like All Out. Wouldn’t mind hearing a little zeuhl now and then… maybe you do and I’m just not up late enough. Anyway, keep up the great work, and keep on stayin’ away from that smooth jazz diarreah. I get enough of that watching the weather channel.
No, no, and more no. Despite being young and tied to an MP3 player a good deal of the time, I hate downloadable music and everything it stands for, along with the digital distribution of games, etc. I do not like the concept of “pretend” when it comes to ownership of something.
That said, I’ll still contribute when I can regardless of the gifts. The gifts are nice and sometimes very cool (and frankly, saying they’re getting hard to find or obtain is a little bit of BS – even in more obscure music circles CDs aren’t at all difficult to acquire no matter how you look at it, and the majority of the world still buys music via physical mediums, not digitally), but they aren’t the point. Supporting Jazz91 is the point, and if I can contribute, I will.
Oh yeah… I like what Bob Dye said… if you make podcasts of shows (like the very awesome ALL OUT) I’d love the right to be able to download in exchange for a donation. I only hear a little bit of that show as I am falling asleep, and it’s just my cup of tea (and by tea, you know what I mean… I should say bowl of tea). Maybe you could make an area on the site for people who donate a certain amount, and they can download podcasts of the shows. Maybe not — I don’t understand all the details of royalties and how that all works out. It would be cool if you could do it, though…
I only elect to get the premium cd if it’s something interesting and I don’t already have it. I would give, and have given, for no premium. I give because I want to support the jazz programming.
I hate downloads and have little use for them. However, I LOVE KCSM.
I believe the easiest method is to strike a partnership with an online music reseller (eMusic, iTunes, or Amazon) for pledge drive music fulfillment. They handle the music licensing which I know can be tricky on a tight deadline.
Long term, I think KCSM should become a music brand like KCRW public radio in LA. Distribute the best of your out of print music library on CD and as digital downloads, and use these as pledge drive incentives as well.
No to downloads. Young at heart with no MP3 player — We do love KCSM, however….
Downloads would be just fine! Why not? If it would help KCSM survive and thrive, then I’m all for downloads. I’m all for ANYTHING that helps KCSM to stay on the air.
A jewel case and printed material is nice – but if I REALLY want them, I know how to get them. A few years ago, I might have given a different answer, but I have been evolving with the times. I have learned that if I want info about a CD, I know how to go to the Internet and get the info. I can get the exact cover art, the liner notes, the list of tunes, musicians, etc. All the info. I know that not all your listeners will agree, as evidenced by the responses thus far to this question, and that’s cool too.
Bottom line: we all know what the REAL gift of KCSM is: the music, 24/7. THAT’S what really matters.
I’m glad that KCSM is able to adapt to the times without compromising the variety, format and quality of the music. I think the new improved website is so much better! I often consult the PlayList. I appreciate all those “extra” things that KCSM does….
But – as nice as those things are – to me it always comes back to one thing, the only one that REALLY matters to me: THE MUSIC. I want to know that KCSM is there when I turn on my radio. That’s the real priority.
Downloads (MP3s), by all means, provided that I can play them on a standard portable player. A technical writer and trainer of several decades’ experience, I hereby volunteer to write an illustrated how-to for listeners who are not familiar with the downloading process. By the way, a KCSM-logo’d MP3 player would make a dandy premium, don’t you think?
Downloads would be fine; how about a “swap” with Amazon and your 8% arrangment?
Yes! Music downloads! Save the Earth! Save Money!
I would pledge for downloads instead of CD’s so long as the resolution of the downloads meets my needs , 24-bit resolution at a high sampling rate of at least 176Khz.
It would be nice if the download options include a complete set of tracks from a CD or the ability to pick and choose a set number of tracks from a variety of CD’s, lets say 10 tracks for a pledge of $75 or 15 tracks for a pledge of $90, etc.
I will pledge even if no CD’s or a limited number of CD’s are offered!
Downloads are perfect and I agree with Dan that FLAC is preferred.
I would love to be able to get copies of past on-the-air shows. I am not a download person however. But I love Jazz91 and have donated multiple times during a single pledge drive more than once. Your radio station keeps me sane. I’ll do whatever I can to help keep you on the air!
I prefer the CDs. Maybe I am old school, but downloads are too easily lost from disk corruption, leaving an iPod behind or DRM incompatibilities with future players. If I have the CD, I can make as a digital download in whatever format my player finds necessary when I need to download. Plus, every time I pull out the CD it will remind me I got by pledging to KCSM Jazz 91!
Downloads. Keeps shipping fees to a minimum and increases chances that I will get my thank you gift delivered even to Germany.
Actually downloads are 2nd choice for me but it seems like I rarely got my thank you gift shipped without waiting for a looong time and/or sending a reminder.
I prefer the more environmentally-friendly downloads, but only if, as Dan and others have recommended, the download is (1) available as a lossless FLAC file and (2) DRM-free. I generally would not be interested in a download that didn’t meet those two criteria.
I like CDs, no downloads please. How about entry to special live local shows just for KCSM listeners? The local artists and venues would benefit from a new audience and KCSM gets the pledge. An example would be the special benefit show for KCSM held at Yoshis. Pledge $40-$50 and see the show. Different artists on different days at different venues to spread it around.
AND adding smooth jazz would be a welcome addition to KCSM, you’d get the former KKSF listeners like me who enjoys the various forms of jazz.
I would be happy with a download instead of CD. I am listening to the John Coltrane CD right now.
I’ll give; no matter what. Nuff said.
@Marie: “AND adding smooth jazz would be a welcome addition to KCSM”
Them’s fightin’ words.