What is IODA?

IODA, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance, helps independent labels and musicians (and now public radio producers like you) distribute their content to services like iTunes, Amazon.com, and Rhapsody. They distribute to over 100 of these online services, which range from download stores to mobile services to promotional networks. In addition to distributing content, IODA gives PRX the tools to promote it, using a variety of online viral-y avenues. PRX is excited to be partnering with IODA to provide you with yet another way of getting your work heard (and compensating you for it, too). Can't beat that.

How does it work?
PRX occasionally invites a small number of public radio producers to join us in this unique opportunity. We will take care of submitting your work according to IODA's technical specifications. We will also decide which online services to use (read a complete list), so you don't have to spend time figuring out what is the best fit and how to submit to each individually. All you have to do is agree to distribute your work through IODA and we'll take care of the rest and send you royalty checks when your work is sold.

Can I choose which online services are used to distribute my work?
Eventually you may be able to, but not until we better learn how the services operate and how to manage it all efficiently. We can, however, tell you where your work gets placed.

What is the length of the agreement?
Beginning from the time you officially opt-in, the agreement is for one year and will renew automatically for an additional one-year term unless we receive written notification of the termination from you.

You mentioned IODA will help promote my work. How exactly?
IODA embraces a customized customer service approach, so their marketing varies depending on the nature of your work. Generally, there are a number of promotional opportunities--from having your piece "featured" on sites like iTunes or Rhapsody to using IODA's free Promonet service, which is based on the model of giving away a single track with the hope of luring customers to purchase additional tracks. IODA uses Promonet to spread the word about your work by sharing selected tracks with a network of 3500 bloggers, podcasters, streaming radio folks, and social networking users. You can choose whether or not you participate in this service, but you might be glad that you did. Learn more about Promonet.

What's in it for me?
1) Money. You will get 50% of all royalties earned through the sale of your content. The payment rates for each distribution service is different, so we can't provide you with exact numbers, but if you look at a service like iTunes, a single track (something under 10 minutes) goes for 99 cents. An entire album (which, in the case of a one-hour documentary would be one track since 74 min. is the maximum length per album), costs somewhere between $3.99-$5.99 in the iTunes Music Store. (We don't get listed in their audiobooks store yet.) IODA takes a small percentage for their service, and PRX splits the rest with you 50/50.
2) Fans. You will also be expanding your network of listeners ...always a good thing. Many users of these services may not be current public radio listeners, so you're reaching a new audience.
3) Hipster-ness. You'll be among the first public radio producers to ride the digital distribution wave into the future. Flaunt it! We'll help you by giving you links to your pieces on, say, Amazon so you can add them to your own site, post them to your social network, write them in the sky, whatever you choose.

Do I have to be a paid member of PRX to participate?
You don't have to be a paid member to opt-in to this service, but in order to earn royalties for station licenses or digital distribution through PRX you must have a paid membership. Royalties are paid on a quarterly basis and are taxable.

Sounds cool, but isn't IODA just for musicians and record labels?
While IODA works primarily with independent music labels and artists, they have welcomed public radio content into their system - as have the services they partner with. iTunes and many other services have non-music categories like comedy and spoken word. Placement as an audiobook isn't available yet, but we hear that might change soon.

I'm already busy enough. Will this involve extra effort on my part?
No. At first all you'll need to do is opt-in and we take care of all the encoding, transfer, metadata stuff. We may ask you for information or pictures from time to time to help promote your piece. We'll also send you the links to where your tracks have been placed, but what you do with them is up to you.

What's the story with rights?
You retain all the rights to your work and are granting us certain rights to distribute and promote it. Also, you should make sure you've cleared all necessary rights to third-party material included in your pieces, including music. Some uses of music might be considered fair use, while others would require permission from the copyright holder. PRX cannot advise you on legal matters and cannot clear these rights for you. For more on fair use visit http://fairuse.stanford.edu/

I have more questions.
Ask away. Please feel free to contact us at ioda@prx.org.