Instead of the 'traditional' cover-mount CD, the Sunday Herald newspaper is this weekend to use pioneering barcode technology to provide its readers with free music.
Teaming up with Scots independent record company, Chemikal Underground, the paper is offering readers 15 free tracks of alternative music.
The barcode can be scanned by a webcam or a mobile phone. Readers also have the option of punching in a code into www.heraldscotland.com, the website of the Sunday Herald and its sister title, The Herald.
The move is partly an energy-saving one, to save on the tons of carbon dioxide that goes into making CDs.
In a statement issued by the newspaper, Sunday Herald editor, Richard Walker, is quoted, saying: “In line with this title's long record of innovation, we are delighted to offer this new service. Among many benefits is the ability to download the music direct to your iPod or MP3 player much more conveniently than transferring from a CD.
“We calculate that we will save about one ton of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 codes versus the equivalent CDs. We consider the environment in everything we do and we are very proud to both bring increased convenience to our readers and help reduce climate change.
“This is a first and we will be looking at other types of music download, including classical, in the coming weeks.”
