Promo Only & Destiny Media Split
Promo Only and Destiny Media have ended their partnership to deliver digital versions of promotional singles to radio DJs and other industry professionals. Promo Only is a music and video club for DJs that distributes promotional CDs and DVDs. For the last three years, it partnered with Destiny Media to add a digital distribution service called Promo Only MPE, using Destiny Media’s technology. Promo Only’s Dean Ernst, who ran the MPE program, also has joined Destiny Media.
The decision to part ways leaves Promo Only without a digital distribution service. Destiny Media instead will continue to operate the MPE service under its own brand, now calling it Play MPE. Destiny immediately signed Universal Music Group to its standalone service. UMG had been testing the MPE system in a pilot program for the last two years. According to the new agreement, UMG will implement the MPE system company-wide, using it to digitally distribute all its music to the radio stations and other industry outlets that support the system.
According to Destiny Media, 773 labels use the MPE system to issue promotional tracks to DJs and other sources. More than 34,000 songs have been issued using the system to date, however CDs remain the most popular form of delivering promotional tracks.
