We learned in March that Scott Ackerman would step down from his eight-year CEO role at TuneIn. Today we know who is succeeding him — it is Andreea Gleeson. She, like Ackerman before her, is elevated from within the company where she leaves behind her role as Chief Revenue Officer. Click for details. Continue Reading
Three of Spotify’s top five podcasts of the summer are exclusives to the platform. The other two are also top entries in Apple’s chart and Edison Research’s consumer survey. Continue Reading
Tokyo-based Qrates, a vinyl record service company, is announcing a partnership with digital distributor Symphonic Distribution. Qrates services the creation, distribution, financing, and consumer discovery of vinyl — a small but persistently growing segment of the recorded music industry. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Messy Leaks (Spotify)
— Brotherhood (Instreamatic)
— Chasing the Moon (Podchaser)
Part incubator and part contest, The Next Great Podcast is beginning its second annual installation, produced by renowned sports journalist Dan Patrick with iHeartRadio. The end product will be a newly launched podcast with all the advantages of major network backing. Last year’s winner just launched this month — it is original and entertaining. Click for all the details. Continue Reading
Podcast transcripts can be especially helpful as companion pieces to long-form interview podcasts. The Australian-based Dialogues Media Foundation is betting on a market for transcripts, and has launched a hybrid print/digital monthly magazine. Continue Reading
AM/FM radio has reached a new high — of listening off-radio. Listening via streaming is now 12% of American radio listening (13 years and older). That carve-out is the highest ever established in the ongoing Share of Ear study by Edison Research. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— 10-million Redemptions (Michel Cohen)
— Marvelous (Crooked Media)
— Executive Hire (TuneCore)
A new regional podcast awards program has opened — this one for New Zealand podcasters living anywhere. An open nominations process leads to expert judging and a “Listeners’ Choice” segment. Click for nominating link. Continue Reading
James Cridland returns with a richly informative newsletter about radio around the world. In this edition: Homage to Phil Valentine. A new and significant hire at Global. Research about female voices in audio. And a chuckle-worthy clip from BBC Radio 4. Continue Reading
In Magellan AI’s latest monthly report of top podcast advertisers, tracking July activity, we see many of the same brands that have populated the Top 15 Spenders list for the last several months. We compare the past four monthly reports to identify newcomers — there are only two amid lots of repeaters. Click for details and charts. Continue Reading
LiSTNR, the audio app from Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the Australian entertainment company, has announced an executive appointment and new hire, both intended to burnish the music playlists furnished in the apps. ONe is a promotion; the other music curation expert comes to the company from YouTube Australia and New Zealand. Continue Reading