Podcast company Acast announced that it has launched in Germany. The new office will be led by Stefan Zilch as the regional managing director. Zilch previously held a similar post at Spotify, helping the streaming company with its German launch in 2012. Continue Reading
Sirius XM announced a new expansion to its streaming offerings. People on the Sirius XM Select subscriber plan now have access to the satellite radio company’s mobile app and connected devices at home as part of their package. That will add more options (at no extra cost) for about 30 million Sirius XM users. Continue Reading
YouTube is making some adjustments to its Content ID platform. The new changes are related to manual claims in the system for copyrighted audio. While they may make things clearer for people making content for YouTube, copyright holders will have an additional step to take. Continue Reading
Voxnest has been publishing several analyses about different corners of podcast listening, and the latest one is about show categories. The company’s new report finds that listening habits vary across different show subjects, which could mean different best practices for podcasters in terms of publishing times and time-specific advertisements. Continue Reading
The BBC has announced a trio of new controllers, including an appointment to head its latest effort in mobile audio. Jonathan Wall is the first controller for the BBC Sounds app. Continue Reading
Apple’s HomePod has not been a fast mover. It has been slow to make inroads with U.S. consumers, and it has also been gradual with reaching new markets. The latest development will bring the smart speaker to Japan, although later than originally expected. Continue Reading
Today Nielsen is adding another stake in the turf of podcasting with the Podcast Listener Buying Power Service, an initiative that helps podcasters and advertisers understand the audience’s consumer behavior. The announcement is buoyed by a cohort of five launch partners, each a known force in podcast publishing. Continue Reading
Renee Wang, founder and CEO of podcast app Castbox, recently gave a brief interview to Bloomberg about the current state of her company. She said Castbox has 30 million listeners, including 3 million daily active users. Continue Reading
Merlin has entered an agreement with Jaxsta, an Australia-based business specializing in technology and music credits. Under the terms of the commercial data access agreement, the global indie label and rights management network will provide Jaxsta with official data about the music creations of its members. Continue Reading
Veritonic, a preeminent audio value technology platform, today announced its Audio Score — a measure of audio effectiveness that can be applied to audio ads, sonic brand elements like audio logos, voices, music, and scripts. The idea is to apply a grading standard of effectiveness to any audio which is created to influence audiences and create deeper relationships with customers. Continue Reading
LyricFind announced a new deal with the Canadian government. The Toronto-based lyrics licensing and database company received funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage Creative Export Canada program for a two-year effort focused on licensing, transcribing, and translating works by artists and songwriters in the country. Continue Reading
Spotify introduced a new version of its app specifically designed for regions with limited or weak mobile coverage. Spotify Lite is available as a free download for Android devices in 36 markets around the world. Continue Reading