How can I see which radio stations are included in the packages? Visit the WMA PRICING page to view the available packages, their prices, and the stations contained in each package.
2. Do you provide the contact information for each radio station? The WMA Direct Terms & Conditions prevents us from disclosing end user contact information to any third parties. You can view the names of the individua
ls registered at each station on the DESTINATIONS page after selecting your packages and by accessing REPORTS after the release has been sent. Now that you know the name of the person you need to talk to about your music, you can simply google the station call letters to find the phone number and ask for that person.
3. I've used WMA Direct to delivery my release to radio. When will they start playing it? WMA Direct provides access to your promotional release for radio programmers to stream and download in broadcast-quality (provided you upload your music as a broadcast-quality wav file). There is never a guarantee your release will be listened to by a programmer, or played on air. That depends on the quality of your music and what the radio programmer is looking for. However to increase your chances of airplay, it is strongly recommended you hire a radio tracker/promoter to communicate on your behalf about your release to the stations selected for delivery. If you’d prefer to follow-up on your own, here’s a tip sheet on how to work your track at radio
4. WMA Direct only allows me to upload wav and mp3 files. Radio holds very high standards for the quality of audio they play on-air. Wav is the standard uncompressed digital file format suitable for radio. The compression used in converting music to mp3 degrades audio quality. Distributing a less than pristine audio file will limit your chances of gaining airplay, especially with satellite and HD broadcasters. We highly recommend that your track be sent in full wav format. In short, the higher the quality of the submitted track, the better it will represent your music, increasing the chance for consideration by programmers. Note: the source must be CD quality. Converting an mp3 to wav does not improve audio quality.
5. I have my music on CD. How do I get a wav file for upload? There are a number of ways to extract a wav file from a CD. One popular method uses iTunes. If you don't have iTunes, you can download/install it for free here: www.apple.com/itunes. Under preferences, select "advanced", then "importing". Change the toggle beside "Import Using:" to "wav encoder". Put your CD in the drive and iTunes will display the tracks on your CD. Select the track(s) you'd like to convert and click the "import" button. The wav file(s) will be located in your iTunes music folder.
6. Which people at each radio station will have access to my music? Typically it will be the Program Director and/or Music Director that can log in to WMA and stream/download your music. There are, however, many stations that include Specialty Show Programmers, Mix Show Programmers, DJ's, Morning Show Producers, and more.
7. Are radio stations receptive to receiving new music digitally? WMA is used by all major labels, and many independents across North America. If you listen to the radio, much of the new music played was delivered digitally. Using WMA Direct allows delivery access equal to the major labels.
8. I don't have a label logo. Can I still proceed? Enter the name of your label in text. If you don't have a label name, we recommend entering "Independent" in the label field.
9. What kind of pictures are typically included with tracks? Usually the first image is the album cover or single image and the second is a photo of the artist or group.
10. What kind of information is typically included in the "Release Information" field? Feel free to include any textual information that you feel will help your track get noticed or pique interest. Artist bio, album/track reviews, tour date listings, prior airplay, website links, etc. are all common examples.
11. Can I use WMA Direct to send my music to radio and other industry professionals outside of North America? WMA Direct only offers servicing to radio stations and industry professionals in the United States and Canada. Service may expand to other international markets in the future.
12. Will my personal information, eg. email, address, phone number be sold or given to any other organization? The WMA Direct Terms & Conditions prevent us from disseminating your personal contact information to any third parties.
13. How are recipients notified that my music is available on WMA ? Each user in your list of selected destinations will receive a WMA email notification when the release is sent.
14. Where can recipients find my music on WMA ? By default, all available tracks will be listed in chronological order with the most recent at the top of their WMA Library. Recipients can also find your release by searching for the artist or release title.
15. Is it better to deliver a single or my full album? For the most part, commercial radio stations prefer to be serviced with the single only. Given the volume of new music sent to them, programmers simply don’t have the time to listen to your entire album and choose the songs they want to play on air. College and non-commerical radio however, prefer the option of choosing what they feel are the best songs on an album instead of being told what the single is. In short, if you’re sending your music to commercial radio, send a single; if you’re sending your music to college radio, send the full album.
