News

Sony and Philips support SA-CD growth in 2004 (23/1/2004)

Indicating their strong support for Super Audio CD, Sony and Philips will use this weekend's Midem gathering in Cannes to announce a major global initiative designed to increase the acceptance of Super Audio CD. The initiative, which has at its heart a global series of regional conferences, is aimed at record companies, recording studios, mastering facilities, disc replicators and equipment manufacturers.

Against a backdrop of significant progress in terms of SA-CD interfacing and format issues, brand identification and format promotion, the conferences will provide an environment that encourages networking, co-operation and collaboration. "There is heightened interest in SA-CD from many record companies," comments David Walstra, Director, Sony Super Audio CD Business Centre Europe. "By working together, we can accelerate the rate at which this exciting new music carrier becomes established and benefit the entire music industry."

Market intelligence indicates that at the end of 2003 there were over 21 million Super Audio CDs in circulation. Sony and Philips forecast that this figure will exceed 100 million by the year's end. There exists a strong desire with the SA-CD Project Team to support all record companies, and especially the smaller labels that wish to release their music on Super Audio CD.

"The main objective of these regional conferences is to strengthen confidence in the SA-CD format and increase the information flow to the music industry," states Jos Bruins, Marketing Director at Philips Standards & Intellectual Property. "Another priority is to provide a networking platform with a diversity of special interest groups where the nuts and bolts of cross company and cross industry co-operation can be worked out. Especially for smaller independent labels this facility is highly valued." The first European SA-CD Conference will be held later this summer.

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