RAIN Awards finalists announced!

Posted on by Brad Hill

RAIN is pleased to announce the finalists in each of the five categories in the 8th Annual RAIN Internet Radio Awards, sponsored by Benztown.

The prestigious RAIN Awards celebrate excellence in online audio. The annual program is judged by a panel of independent experts. Winners will be announced at RAIN Summit Austin, next Tuesday, September 5, at 3:30.

Following are the finalist results, culled from hundreds of submissions. Congratulations to the RAIN Awards finalists!

Best Single Stream Webcaster

This category celebrates the best online only (“pureplay”) webcaster with a single stream of radio content. The landscape for single-stream U.S. webcasters has dramatically changed in 2016, the first year of new royalty rates established by the Copyright Royalty Board. Some small webcasters have ended their stations, but many others remain. RAIN continues to honor the rich musical diversity that independent webcasters add to the listening environment. 

  • Radio St. Pete
  • Radio Paradise
  • MyGreeneRadio.com
  • DKFM Shoegaze Radio

Best Streaming Broadcast Station

For the single broadcast station that has executed the best streaming strategy. Judges may consider ways that the station has extended and enhanced its brand through the use of online streaming. Only broadcast stations that stream online are eligible.

  • WMCE 88.5 FM
  • 100.3 The Sound
  • KUPD

Best Podcast

For the best spoken word on-demand audio series. Submissions only by producer, host, or the owning network. The program must originate online, as opposed to a show created for  broadcast radio and archived online — e.g. Serial is eligible, but This American Life is not. Judges may consider originality, production quality, entertainment value, information value, and presentation.

(Because of the large number of submissions, and tie scores after calculating the judge’s marks, this category has the highest number of finalists in RAIN Awards history.)

  • The Secret History of Hollywood
  • Secrets, Crimes & Audiotape
  • Revisionist History
  • Radiolab Presents: More Perfect
  • Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Best Overall Digital Strategy

For the broadcast station, broadcast group, or online-only webcaster that has implemented the finest overall digital strategy. Judges may consider mobile, streaming, websites, downloads, video and/or other features. “Online only” services, broadcasters, and streaming broadcast stations are eligible.

  • PRX
  • TuneIn
  • NPR

Best Overall Online Radio Service

For the station/webcaster that provides the best overall online listener experience. Judges may consider programming, technology, popularity of the service, attractiveness of the app (web/mobile), ease of use, operational sustainability, integration of advertising assets (if applicable), and other criteria. Nominated services may be single-channel and multichannel “online only” operations or streaming broadcast stations.

  • Pandora
  • Spotify
  • Slacker Radio

 

Brad Hill

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