The "Bar Code" that you see on CD's and cassettes is called: "Universal Product Code" and it costs $300.00 to register and receive your product code. This code is needed in order for your product to be sold in stores like Block Buster Music, Goodies and the rest of the major retailers. Without this code the distributors that sell product to the major record retailers will not accept your product and the majors will only buy from the distributors. This code is also used for a system called "Scans". This is what Billboard uses to chart your product. This information from your code is automatically downloaded and tabulated this is your official record sales and you are charted by these sales. As a side note: I am currently working very hard to get the small Reggae record shops to get involed in scans so that artists can start to get charted and also draw the attention of the larger record companies and promoters. If you sell 50,000 units in the US but 90% are sold in the "ROOTS" record shops that don't report then you still won't exist to the rest of the recording world thus you may not be considered for awards such as the Grammy, American Music Awards or things like that. To Register as a writer or publisher contact Ascap or BMI. These are writer societies and registration is an absolute need because you can't get royalties from airplay with out it. Please forward this to Ras Africa (#383) and I hope it helps. If I can get URL's for this information I will post for everyone. One Love Big Dread (#728) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- And here are those URLs....RAWspect due to Big Dread! From: mark griffis Subject: Re: RAW member seeking help 2nd reply For all members who have an interest in this area, I am posting the following Urls for information that is needed: www.uc-council.org - info on barcodes on rec/cd product. bmi.com- BMI writers society ascap.com- ASCAP writers society Good Luck Peace & Love Big Dread (RAW#728) --------------------------------------------------------------------- And Jared Ruplinger (#783) come forward with the following offer: HEATHER MUNRO: please note URL in jared's signature From: "Rooster" Organization: University of Utah Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 17:36:55 +0000 Subject: Re: RAW member seeking help Dont know if it will help, but I have a shareware program that will allow you to print barcodes from your computer. You punch in the number and the computer prints out the corresponding bar code. If anyone wants a copy, Drop a Line! J.Ruplinger@m.cc.utah.edu --ROOSTER-- RAW #783 J.Ruplinger@m.cc.utah.edu http://www.cc.utah.edu/~jmr08860