In a whitepaper released yesterday on its blog, Triton Digital explains how podcast caching challenges the growth of podcasting, offeers supporting metrics, and and pledges its full support of platforms which move away from the practice. Continue Reading
Veritonic has released its 2017 Audio Logo Index, an assessment of how effective audio advertisements are and which brands in the U.S. and the UK created audio signatures that best connected with customers. The key traits highlighted in the study could be useful signposts for ad agencies looking to strengthen their in-house capabilities for audio as well as for publishers or hosts of audio content who want data to back their appeal as a source of ad money. Continue Reading
Google and Amazon are at odds over access, marking a very public division between two tech giants that could cause interruptions for consumers. The two companies had appeared to resolve a question around access to YouTube on the Amazon Echo Show in late November, but Google has reversed course. Today, Google announced that it would not allow YouTube access on either the Amazon Echo Show or the Amazon Fire TV. Continue Reading
XAPPmedia has entered a partnership with Internet broadcasting and streaming company SurferNETWORK. It will help SurferNETWORK clients to create custom skills and use voice controls on platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Continue Reading
Marvel Entertainment and podcast distribution platform Stitcher have joined to create Wolverine: The Long Night, a 10-episode audio series. In casting and production, the show seems to reach for a new level of cinematic reality, creating something that might be described as a movie for the ears. Continue Reading
Warner Music Group posted its financial results for the fourth quarter and full financial year. The results showed another year where streaming helped drive growth for a major music company. Warner did not break out its streaming revenue, but the digital shares include that performance. Continue Reading
Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist was one of the streaming service’s first forays into personalized music recommendations. Since its debut in 2015, the setup has changed little: every Monday, the platform presents 30 songs chosen based on each person’s listening habits. Now, Spotify is testing a more hands-on feature for listeners, with an option to mark songs in Discover Weekly that you like or dislike. Continue Reading
Amazon announced a new option for its Alexa voice-activated assistant designed for companies and enterprise operations. Alexa for Business can assist with tasks such as starting conference calls, scheduling meetings, and ordering office supplies. Continue Reading
Apple has acquired Pop Up Archive, the online platform of building tools to transcribe, organize, and search audio files. This acquisition includes podcast search engine Audiosear.ch, which shuttered late last month. Apple’s only comment on the development is its stock statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” Continue Reading
iHeartRadio Canada has unveiled an enhanced version of its app that adds support for several more compatible platforms. The free service is now available on Apple Watch, Apple CarPlay, Android Wear, and Android Auto. It has also been made available for Sonos wireless speakers. iHeartRadio Canada said more platforms will be announced in the coming weeks. Continue Reading
Indian streaming music service Gaana announced that it has 50 million monthly active users. “It’s a proud moment for Team Gaana, not many home-grown brands have achieved this kind of milestone and very few brands in the entertainment space has been able to reach to this kind of scale in India,” COO Prashan Agarwal said. Continue Reading
YouTube has returned hundreds of music videos to its service in Finland, ending a temporary block on the content. The tech company stopped showing content represented by Finnish collection society Teosto starting November 30 after the two parties were unable to secure a new licensing agreement. Continue Reading