Legal Music Site First For New Zealand

Legal Music Site First For New Zealand - DigiRAMA To Offer Tracks From Major Labels and Indies

DIGIRAMA HQ, ALBANY, NEW ZEALAND - October 28, 2004 - On November 1, 2004, the New Zealand music industry will be changed forever. It’s the launch date of digiRAMA (www.digirama.co.nz) the New Zealand-made music site that finally gives fans what the rest of the world has been enjoying since the launch of i-Tunes Music Store in the USA last year: a legal online record store. For the first time, New Zealand music fans can legally download tracks from their favourite artists from major as well as independent labels.

DigiRAMA already has an online catalogue of more than 30,000 songs, priced from $1.99 to $2.49 (inc GST). As well as the music, the site offers online purchase of Sennheiser headphones and Creative’s range of sound cards, speakers and digital players. The worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, the Creative range of players includes the ultra-light Nomad MuVo and the award-winning Zen Touch player.

Founded by brothers Shaun and Garth Davis, both of whom work in the computer industry, DigiRAMA is a true example of Kiwi ingenuity at work.

“We set up DigiRAMA out of pure frustration” says Shaun Davis. “I was looking to buy some music on i-Tunes, but discovered New Zealand users are blocked from the service. So Garth and I started looking at what it would take to create a music site specifically for New Zealanders. We talked with a lot of people in the music industry, and the feedback was overwhelmingly in favour of the idea. So after nine months of development, DigiRAMA is here!”

The site uses the Windows Media Digital Rights Management Platform (DRM), which has been accepted by the music industry worldwide as a secure system for online music sales. Microsoft New Zealand are so impressed they are working towards making digiRAMA the default music site on Windows MediaPlayer and the newly released MediaCentre Operating system.

Music fans have been enjoying a pilot version of www.digirama.co.nz for the last month, selecting tracks on offer from artists such as Shihad, REM, Anika Moa and The Darkness. The pilot offering has been a resounding success, providing the digiRAMA team with an initial user database and valuable customer feedback which has been built into the launch site.

With Warner Music, FMR, Global Routes and WildSide Records already signed up, digiRAMA is set to become a key player in the New Zealand music industry. DigiRAMA will be soon be announcing major additions to the catalogue, with licensing agreements to be confirmed with more major labels and indies. Future plans include online release events, member-only bonus tracks and exclusive digital promotions.

“The era of legal music downloads has finally arrived in New Zealand” says Shaun Davis. “While there are a number of MP3 sites that allow online purchase of indie artists, DigiRAMA gives Kiwi music fans the ability to buy individual tracks and albums from across the spectrum, from Scribe to REM. DigiRAMA is the digital music store that the New Zealand music industry and Kiwi music buyers have been waiting for.”

ENDS

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