Integr8 Research conducted a survey to explore radio ownership trends and whether the emerging smart speaker product segment is growing into a replacement for radio sets. The company surveyed more than 3,000 radio listeners aged 15 to 39 who are dedicated to a local genre station. Ownership of radios appeared shaky. Continue Reading
Spotify has hired Adam Parness as its new head of global publisher licensing. Parness most recently spent about a year with Pandora as head of publisher licensing and relations. Continue Reading
audioBoom has entered a distribution deal to bring Jukebox, the audio entertainment operation from India-based ticketing platform BookMyShow. As a result of the deal, several audioBoom podcasts will be made available on Jukebox for Indian listeners. Continue Reading
Google is expanding its footprint in the smart speaker space with two new products. The Google Home Mini is a puck-shaped option priced at $49. The Google Home Max is a larger version of the original Google Home with a more powerful sound system. Continue Reading
PodcastOne has added two executives to its leadership team. Casey Jacobs is the company’s new vice president of sports and development. Allyson Marino also joins PodcastOne as director of special programs. Continue Reading
Sonos hosted a press event today to announce its latest developments in implementing voice controls into its wireless speaker product line, a pivot the company first announced in March 2016. First, the company introduced a new smart speaker with voice controls. Continue Reading
Nielsen has released its latest Music 360 report, an analysis that touches on several key trends in the U.S. music industry’s ongoing shifts into the digital space. First, it highlights a growing interest in playlists and music curation. Second, despite the high interest in streaming, radio continues to hold a strong share. Continue Reading
Podtrac has published its September 2017 podcast publisher rankings. It marked a somewhat unusual month, as the list of the top publishers showed no changes in names or order from August. Continue Reading
Matt Hancock, the UK’s Minister of State for Digital, called for shifts in radio production to make all new devices digital by default. He spoke via video interview during the Drive to Digital 2017 radio industry conference, encouraging preparation for a possible future transition to digital broadcasting. Continue Reading
Podcasting company Panoply Media has unveiled a new audio service designed for children, featuring audiobooks and original podcast content. Pinna is intended for listeners aged 4 to 12. Original series on the ad-free iOS mobile app cover genres including mystery, fantasy, sports, bedtime stories, a game show, and a musical show. Continue Reading
Triton Digital announced that it will act as the ad tech stack to monetize digital audio ad inventory for Anghami, a streaming music provider for the Middle East and North Africa region. Anghami’s digital ad inventory is exclusively represented by Digital Media Services, part of the Choueiri Group. With this deal, Anghami and DMS will leverage Triton’s Tap ad server for targeted audio ad insertion. Continue Reading
Microsoft will discontinue its Groove Music program, phasing out its internal streaming and download service after December 31. Groove Music Pass was Microsoft’s music bundle option, available across its hardware platforms such as Windows phones and Xbox game consoles. In its place, Microsoft is expanding its relationship with Spotify. Continue Reading