Midroll Media announced today that Chris Bannon, currently VP of Content Development and Production at public radio’s WNYC, will join Midroll as Chief Content Officer starting March 16. RAIN News spoke to Chris Bannon and Midroll Media CEO Adam Sachs about the appointment and the opportunity in podcasting. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts is a new weekly feature sponsored by PodcastOne.
2015 is widely proclaimed to be the Year of the Podcast. A lot of media uptake hinges on Serial, last year’s breakout hit program. But momentum has been building in deeper layers of the audio industry. Podcasting’s future has never looked brighter — for radio professionals, content entrepreneurs, and amateur webcasters. Continue Reading
Deezer has been busy making deals with telecommunications companies over the past few months. The latest one is a partnership with Tele2 in Lithuania. Under the terms of that agreement, Tele2 customers will get free access to Deezer’s music streaming service for three months. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: what streaming should borrow from radio; SoundCloud audience infographic; SXSW hosts a hackathon. Continue Reading
When it comes to music curation, computers and algorithms can only take you so far. The true music geeks want to have a human touch to their discovery. That’s a niche that new service called Domino.fm aims to fill. The property aggregates content from various music press outlets, and gives fans a place to both read articles and listen to the songs they’re about at the same time. Continue Reading
Spotify has inked a new licensing deal with Sony/ATV to offer its catalog in Europe. The deal for Sony’s Anglo-American music covers all 30 territories of the European Economic Area. Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier has been critical of the payouts that songwriters and publishers receive from streaming, and the latest tie-up seems to have resolved his concerns. Continue Reading
Audio production and media syndication company Benztown announced a partnership with ConnectPal, a content marketplace for independent creators. Benztown will put its talent assets into ConnectPal’s monetization platform, and has also taken a financial stake of an undisclosed amount in ConnectPal. Continue Reading
TuneCore has been developing the feature set it makes available to artists, and the company laid out its plans for further improving artist exposure with live shows and special events. Its 2015 plans include a web series called Convenience Store Sessions and a SXSW showcase. Continue Reading
While reviewing the recently launched Chive Podcast podcast, we noticed an execeptional native ad performance for MeUndies, a lifestyle brand that mainly sells high-end underwear. The campaign keeps the hip tone of MeUndies marketing in general, while avoiding NSFW controversies that have characterized (and sometimes benefitted) MeUndies marketing in the past. Click to listen. Continue Reading
Qtrax is aiming for a relaunch some time in 2015 as an ad-supported streaming service that will stop piracy and better compensate artists. CEO Allan Klepfisz talked a big game in an interview with The Telegraph, calling those goals “two paradigm shifts.” But the news of Qtrax’s resurgence has been met by the music press with mostly skepticism. Continue Reading
Attention startups in the streaming audio space — game on! Eight days left to submit your early-stage company for possible inclusion in an influential panel opportunity at RAIN Summit West.
RAIN Summits announces the “Streaming Audio’s Startup Economy” discussion panel at RAIN Summit West, April 12 in Las Vegas. Continue Reading
Yahoo-owned Tumblr, one of the biggest content sites in the world, is experiencing a furor among its bloggers who post music. Several tumblr blogs have reportedly been switched off for copyright-infringing music posts. A newly-installed download button on Tumblr is part of the controversy. Continue Reading