NPR has hired Michael Smith as its new chief marketing officer. He will step into the post beginning April 6. Most recently he was senior vice president and general manager of digital channels for Scripps Networks. “It’s essential to NPR’s future that its content and audience reflect America’s full diversity,” Smith said. Continue Reading
In an unusual move, Apple Podcasts announced a radical change in its approach. Rather than wait for the world’s celebrities to decide that they want to join the podcasting bandwagon, Apple has proactively moved to create a show for every single one of them. Read on for a credible and 100% accurate statement from Apple representative April Everfirst. Continue Reading
Huawei, the China-based technology company, has launched its own mobile music service in Europe. Huawei Music is a streaming music app designed to work with the business’ smartphones and tablets. The European launch is backed by licensing deals with the three major labels, and the app’s library includes 1.2 million albums and more than 50 million tracks. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia is the latest to share its internal data about podcast listening in the face of a global pandemic. The company found overall growth in podcast listens, with news, business and finance, and various arts categories seeing notable spikes. Continue Reading
Spotify and Warner Music Group have renewed their global licensing deal. The companies confirmed that Warner’s library be available in India under the terms of their latest agreement. No financial details were disclosed. Continue Reading
Chartable released an assessment of podcast listening, adding a new layer to the picture of how the world is consuming media during a pandemic. It combined data about downloads with its listening statistics from publishers from Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Podcasters. It examined a subset of about 6,000 podcasts and compared their March results with a baseline of those from the second half of February, when there were just over a dozen confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. Continue Reading
Plenty of podcasts are informative, but formal educational content is an emerging niche within the audio field. Lyceum is a new operation that exclusively provides educational audio programming. The business will produce original podcasts and audio courses, as well as helping existing educational podcasters to connect with audiences. Continue Reading
Google is launching a livestreamed video series to inform users about the capabilities of voice technology. The monthly series, VOICE Talks Presented by Google Assistant, will be created by a partnership between Google and digital content experts Modev Productions. Continue Reading
Deezer has published listening data about its platform as audiences react to the latest changes in the coronavirus pandemic. The streaming service reviewed its global listener trends between March 2 and March 22. The company saw the disappearance of many commutes reflected in its peak hours of activity. Continue Reading
After a lengthy process that seemed at many points like it would come to naught, Vivendi has officially sold a stake in Universal Music Group to a consortium led by Tencent. The completed deal is for a 10% stake in the major label, with the option to acquire another 10% at the same valuation. Continue Reading
Spotify has been taking a meandering path for the launch of its standalone Kids app. The program is designed for children, with no ads and with age-appropriate content. While the app is a standalone piece of software, it requires a Spotify Premium Family subscription to use. Continue Reading
Pocket Casts, the podcast app owned by a group of public media operations, is having a change of the guard. CEO Owen Grover is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Continue Reading