Podcasting has been a hot topic for the entertainment world, and as the audio format grows in popularity, more and more businesses and investors have sprung up to take advantage of the latest trend. The newest company to try and assert itself into the niche is Luminary Media. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: The MIDAS survey explores radio listening habits in the UK ahead of of the Q1 RAJAR results later this week. Continue Reading
What comes after digital music? Hint: The artist is coming into control. Also lawyers. Vickie Nauman, Founder of CrossBorderWorks contributes a guest column which is reasoned, speculative, and optimistic. Continue Reading
Ad spending on digital audio leaped upward 39% in 2017 over the previous year, according to a newly released report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Total 2017 ad spend in the category was $1.6-billion, up from $1.1-billion in 2016. Mobile increased its supremacy. Continue Reading
Gimlet Media recently announced the debut of Sandra, a scripted audio drama about a virtual assistant and the people who operate and use it, as part of its spring lineup. The podcast quickly became a hot property, and has already been picked up for premium television development. Continue Reading
After a successful and speedy road through the House of Representatives, the Music Modernization Act has been introduced in the Senate. The legislation would create some sweeping changes to mechanical royalties, and it has received strong backing from both parties on the Hill. Continue Reading
In a pivotal deal, NPR announced that its entire podcast catalog is now available on Spotify for the first time. All shows from the public media outlet, both familiar favorites and new titles, will have a home on the streaming audio service. The arrangement brings the world’s largest podcast publisher into one of the largest podcast distribution platforms. Continue Reading
SoundExchange introduced a new tool called the Music Data Exchange. This application allows labels and publishers to share their data about music in a free database. It offers a hub for real-time metadata and data requests that could make it easier to claim ownership of a recording or composition. Continue Reading
YouTube Music announced that several new and updated charts tracking the most popular videos on the platform will launch in 44 countries. The U.S., Japan, Germany, Brazil, and the UK are among the nations that will receive the new charts. The new addition to YouTube Music’s chart roster follows Trending videos. Continue Reading
WNYC Studios is partnering with Night Vale Presents in a deal that will revisit The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air). The podcast — which is part radio drama, part variety show, and all cult classic — released a single season in October 2016. Under this deal, the original show will get a new release and a second season. Continue Reading
SoundCloud has hired Mark Eisenberg as its new senior vice president of content partnerships. Eisenberg joins the audio company from SoundExchange, where he was the senior vice president of strategic initiatives. Continue Reading
Spotify is working on testing a couple new features that would amp up the social angle of the streaming music service. First is called Friends Weekly, a collection of tracks that your social connections are favoring. The second feature is a new section on the home screen called Friends’ Discover Weekly. Continue Reading