AIRCO (Assoc. of Independent Record Companies)

NEWSFLASH!!!
The brand new AIRCO website is live, featuring detailedNews and Press Releases, lots of Info about all AIRCO's activites,Member Profiles, and a Members Area featuring Forums andKnowledge Base.
Check the website here: www.airco.org.za
You can also now apply for Membership via our Online Application Form

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AIRCO, The Association of Independent RecordCompanies is a non profit national industry association,proactively serving and representing the interests and developmentof South African independent companies across South Africa and theworld.
AIRCO members are record companies and labels across the fullspectrum of music genres, ranging from small sole traders to someof the biggest independent operators in the country.
OUR VISION
To grow the Independents’ market share, improve visibility ofindependent music and artists, and promote key issues such asmarket access and cultural diversity in all national, regional andinternational policies.
OUR OBJECTIVES
AIRCO’s primary objective is to foster an ever increasingmarketplace for South African independent music and assist in thelong-term development, growth and success of South Africa ’sindependent recording industry.
Our specific objectives include:
COPYRIGHT To assist in the exploitation of copyrights created and owned bySouth African independent record companies;
FAIR TRADE
To achieve commercial terms on par with the major recordcompanies. The association will seek to level the playingfield;
ACCESS TO MEDIA
Independent music is underrepresented on mainstream radio andtelevision. AIRCO will become a constant reminder to mediabroadcasters and elected officials that the ownership of theairwaves stems from the public trust and that cultural diversityis in the public interest;
NEW TECHNOLOGY
AIRCO will relentlessly pursue a seat at the table for the launchof new technologies and distribution channels;
LEGISLATIVE
AIRCO will represent its member’s interests in government andlegislative issues. AIRCO will be visible where our positiondiverges from that of the majors, and for which the Independentscurrently have no voice;
INTERNATIONAL
AIRCO will join the growing international movement that recognizesthe economic and functional importance of independent recordcompanies, and of the record industry overall.
PURCHASING
AIRCO will explore areas where collective purchasing commitmentsmay result in favorable pricing. Some examples include:
-Advertising
-Manufacturing
-Printing
-Media Monitoring
-Legal and Accounting
MARKET ACCESS
To promote a commercially viable industry environment which isconducive to growth of the South African independent sector and tothe development of the artists that it represents;
CULTURAL IDENTITY
To encourage and facilitate cultural expression through SouthAfrican music at local, national and international levels;
BRANDING
We are proud to be independent! Altogether we represent nearly 30%of South African music sales and 60% of South African musicreleases while dominating certain niche markets. AIRCO will seekto raise perception of ‘The Indies’ to something that achievesparity with that of ‘The Majors’, as an economic force, andsurpasses it as a cultural force.
AIRCO is committed to do all things as are necessary,supplementary and favorable to the attainment of the aboveobjectives and to the development of the South African music industry at large. Fittingly, AIRCO will stand for fair standards and oppose practices which rely on coercive methodologies to obtain favorable results. This will serve as a point of distinction and differentiation for AIRCO members.