MacMinute: Apple readying ‘iTunes Producer’ for record labels

“Apple is in the process of launching new applications and marketing tools for its iTunes Music Store that aim to make it easier for record labels and artists to sell and promote music on the service. According to Billboard Bulletin (paid subscription required), Apple is preparing an application called iTunes Producer, which will help labels submit content for inclusion in the store. The free software, expected to be released on October 31 in a beta version, allows users to encode their music (enter album, song and artwork information) and send the files directly to Apple.”