RAIN Time Travel: November 2015 headlines
In this monthly feature, we look back one decade to November 2015, and revisit selected headlines. Click any item to visit the article. Happy decade surfing. Continue Reading
Author: Brad Hill
Cumulus Q3: More AI; bigger market share; lower net revenue
Total net revenue declined 11.5% year over year, in the Q3 finance report from Cumulus Media. The company separates digital revenue from total net revenue, offering a more nuanced look at the business. This is what we see in the… Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: October 30, 2025
Settled / UMG
Junkie to Tubi / Audiochuck
Paid music streaming reaches two-thirds of time spent in 10-year trend
In an impressively steady 10-year shift, two-thirds of time spent with streaming music platforms has shifted from free sources to paid streaming. This is from Edison Research in its Weekly Insights email bulletin. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: October 29, 2025
Reaching back / Headliner
24/7 / iHeartMedia
A pioneering radio first-mover / Susan Stamberg
Double-digit profit gain highlights Audioboom Q3
“A Profitable Podcast Powerhouse” — that’s how Audioboom alliteratively self-describes in its Q3 earnings report. The company puts special focus on the Audioboom Creator Network and the July acquisition of podcast hosting network Adelicious. More. Continue Reading
Amazon shrinks Audible in latest staff reduction
Amazon will shrink Audible, its audiobook distribution and creation platform, laying off about 30,000 jobs. It’s the second sudden workforce and product reduction at Amazon in 10 weeks. Continue Reading
YouTube’s $8B brag: a “twin engine”
YouTube Music has released a milestone announcement: Over $8 billion was paid out to the music industry in the 12 months between July 2024 and June 2025. That riveting metric was released at a conference by Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: October 24, 2025
— A line erased / Chris Grosso
— All for one Adelicious
— Rising again / Napster
Steve Goldstein: What Happens When College Students Critique AI-Generated Podcasts
“The emotional DNA of podcasting” — that’s what Seve Goldstein’s latest guest column is about. He invited Tom Webster (partner, Sounds Profitable) into Steve’s NYU course, The Business of Podcasting. The class topic: Where the next generation of podcast listeners will come from. That evolved into a discussion of AI podcasts. After listening to some, student reactions were fascinating. Continue Reading
From sofas to Uber: Top pod-spending brands (September)
The top-spending podcast advertiser in September was Washable sofas, which invested $7.3-million in the month. That info from stalwart measurement company Podtrac in the September edition of its Top Spenders. Click for numbers, a separate “Movers and Shakers” list, and the source link. Continue Reading
International Podcast Alliance opens with collaborative group to support market growth
From Paris and London we learn that a global collaboration of podcast/audio producers, businesses, and publishers has opened the International Podcast Alliance (IPA). The aim is to strengthen dialog across formats and geographies, share market data and support market development, and promote best practices. Click for details. Continue Reading