Leading podcast hosting company Libsyn is announcing an integration with YouTube’s recently announced podcast API (Application Programming Interface) features. The new product suite is designed to establish a well rounded podcast presence on YouTube, a vital audio distribution point. Continue Reading
WSAN (Women’s Sports Audio Network), a unit launched by iHeartMedia in April, is announcing an inaugural slate of original podcasts across a range of sports. It’s an ambitious and sprawling effort supported by inaugural partners on the production and sponsorship sides. Click for details. Continue Reading
Capital Radio Network in Australia said it wasn’t trying to mislead listeners. Guest columnist James Cridland calls BS on that, and explains why. It’s about holding a listener contest without holding one. Nothing new, James says, and cites an example. Plus: Previewing the next iOS version, congratulations to winning broadcasters, and a preview of Swiss Radio Day. Continue Reading
How is stardom calibrated in today’s music market? In his latest guest column, media thought leader Mark Mulligan compares three stars of three eras, putting side-by-side their album sales, Spotify streams (where applicable), concert tickets, and reach by percentage of population. The conclusion regarding Taylor Swift? “She is clearly a hugely successful artist at the top of her game,” Mark asserts. “But the game is not the same as it once was.” All this comes into focus when examining population reach. From that perspective, “mainstream” and “niche” merge together. A fascinating and important thought/research piece for understanding music success in 2024. Continue Reading
U.S. recorded music revenues in 2023 continued the flat-to-upward movement of recent years. We examine the RIAA reckoning of music revenue sales in 2023. Holding steady during uncertain times, it seems … until you account for inflation. Click through for the graphs. Continue Reading
— Feels Like Home (RESOUND)
— Cheap + Beer = Frightful Hilarity (Evergreen Podcasts)
— Exotic Global Streaming (NTS)
“Recently, I’ve had several speaking engagements with media groups,” Steve Goldstein says in his latest guest column, “and there is a surefire way to get an instant gasp from the crowd – show them the median ages of the major media platforms.” The median age of TV viewing has risen from 18-49, to 65 and older. Some cable channels are younger, but Steve is aiming his point at podcasting, where the mean listenerage is 34. Podcasting is the new talk radio for the younger demo. (Commercial radio is median-58.) There is a Fountain of Youth story here for advertisers, is the point. “The plates are shifting” — and this is an important read. Continue Reading
— Feels Like Home (Amplitude Media Partners)
— $500,000 No More (Bloomberg)
— Foundational Findings (Edison Research)
In his latest edition of International Radio Trends, guest columnist James Cridland listens (with his young daughter) to a pop-up Taylor Swift station in the UK. It’s a Capital contemporary hits station. and is well programmed, James says, and “shows the power of DAB as a flexible radio transmission platform, and more. Also: The UK general election, a BBC radio flashback, a demonstration of dynamic advertising, and more. Continue Reading
Triton Digital is announcing it will be opening a Paris office to work more closely with European publishers. The announcement comes a week before the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. It is Triton’s fourth European office. Continue Reading
Local media analytics company Borrell Associates has released a new forecast of local media advertising. This report is a follow-up to an initial forecast released in November and is, in the company’s words, “triggered by new information from Borrell’s principal sources.” We learn that streaming audio is a high achiever in local advertising expenditures. Click for lots of detail, revealing graphs, and the source link. Continue Reading
— “AM, AM not” (Roger Lanctot)
— It Makes One Dizzy (Spotify)
— Voice On Voice (Voice123)