/UCWE/ - International OMD Alliance (IOMDA) - R Cat Communications is in the business of raising public, industry, and media awareness of the value of international independent artists and their music. The Company’s music promotion network is one of the most innovative and successful online platforms currently available, and, as many of the artists that they represent are truly 'the very best music innovators in the world', R Cat believes that artists should be more adequately represented in a more responsible and professional manner at their chosen Online Music Distributor(s).

According to R Cat Assistant Director, Elley Wilson, 'Our research has shown that there are currently around 500 OMDs online. By mid 2006, this figure will have increased dramatically and although this can be a good thing, it can also mean that, for artists, finding the right OMD can be like finding a needle in a haystack!'

Wilson highlights recent R Cat research which suggests that ‘While many OMDs are managed in a very professional and effective manner, others are simply nothing more than mp3 libraries with a forum that can reduce the likelihood of music being heard beyond the confines of servers. Artists with limited resources may well be surrendering valuable time and money in trying to navigate their way through an occasionally confusing industry. So we want to make sure that artists can make a better and more informed decision as to which OMD might suit their individual or collective needs.’

To enable all artists to make a more informed choice of registration and membership, and to support R Cat's promotion of the world's very best Online Music Distributors, the organization is compiling a detailed register of the world's leading OMDs that agree to participate in the project.

OMD managers and directors contact R Cat for a registration pack if they wish to participate. Wilson adds ‘If an OMD informs us that they do not wish to participate in the project, their decision will remain confidential and will not be disclosed. So any reluctance to participate cannot be taken negatively by their artists.’

With regard to the artists themselves, they can support the project too by alerting their respective OMDs to the projects aims and objectives, either via email or through the OMD forums. As Elley Wilson suggests: 'It is in an artist’s interest to promote their musical works as far as possible, while also promoting the OMD that they belong to, but if everything goes no further than someone’s hard drive, then true independent music promotion does not exist. So these artists are quite welcome to bring the aims of IOMDA to their OMDs attention by simply mentioning it at their OMD forum! It’s nothing for OMDs to be afraid of… it’s an exciting opportunity we have here that will benefit the entire independent music industry!’

The International OMD Alliance (IOMDA), was officially launched April 12th, and has already received a large number of enquiries from interested parties.