On-demand music service Spotify has announced a new audience segment for advertisers called Playlist Targeting. Brand marketers will be offered a premium opportunity to connect with behavioral audience segments derived from user engagement with Spotify’s 1.5-billion playlists. Spotify exec Brian Benedik explains it to RAIN News. Continue Reading
TuneCore announced that it is working with Believe Digital, an independent digital distributor and services provider based in Europe. This arrangement will allow TuneCore’s existing customers the option to have a la carte access the global services offered by Believe. Continue Reading
UK media regulator Ofcom announced that it is testing a new technology that could make digital broadcasting more financially feasible for small radio stations. The new system is currently dubbed “small scale DAB,” based on freely available software rather than the expensive hardware of current DAB systems. Continue Reading
Ad-rep company AudioHQ announced a new exclusive partnership to represent inventory in a portion of TuneIn’s 100,000+ streams. AudioHQ CEO Matt Cutair told RAIN News the agreement applies to select in-stream channels on TuneIn. Continue Reading
Roger Lanctot is Associate Director of Strategy Analytics, and a thought leader in the connected-car space. In this guest article, he examines radio’s role in the car. “Radios may be more difficult to find in the car, but the radio is no less relevant and no less powerful.”
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Spotify has four more lobbying firms now supporting its interests in Washington. The newly registered firms are focused on competition, licensing, and “platform neutrality,” sources told Politico. It also added at least two firms to provide similar services in the EU. It’s likely that this push for representation in D.C. stems from the number of big legal issues that intersect with Spotify’s core business and are currently in discussion on the Hill. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Infinite choice, and a crippled use of the Internet. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts is a weekly feature sponsored by PodcastOne.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)’s Podcast Working Group met in Las Vegas on Monday, as part of its mandate to discuss ad-supported podcasts, and “best opportunities to evangelize the space.” The agenda is secret, but podcasting is a category in need of top-level organization. Continue Reading
Music video expert Vevo has launched an app for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles in select markets. Vevo’s app includes its suite of music videos and original programming, and the PlayStation blog post announcing the launch teased some special exclusive content. Continue Reading
TeamRock has partnered with 7digital for delivery of its audio and content. The global resource for the rock music community announced that it would not be renewing its contract with Arqiva in favor of the tie-up with 7digital, which it said would allow TeamRock to make its service even more global. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: How the major labels kept control; podcasting as the new business tool; Radio France’s ongoing strike and media support. Continue Reading
Radio World reviewed the current state of HD radio adoption in Mexico. According to iBiquity Digital, more than 40 stations in the country now use the technology, and 13 stations in the capital deliver 24 additional HD2/HD3 channels. Continue Reading