We received a note from Tom McAlevey, streaming audio innovator and contributor to RAIN’s annual new-year predictions, alerting us to an announcement scheduled for later today that Radical.FM will be shut down this weekend. The platform’s technical assets are for sale. Continue Reading
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to approve the Music Modernization Act. Unanimous backing from the group means that the overhaul to music licensing and royalties will move ahead for consideration by the full Senate. Continue Reading
Corus Entertainment, a major radio/TV group in Canada, has followed up its recent executive podcast hiring spree, allying with The Podcast Exchange (TPX) for representation to buyers. The deal, announced today, interestingly includes both Canada and U.S. representation. Continue Reading
Entercom, the second-largest commercial radio group in the U.S., has announced its intention to pull its station streams off the radio aggregation platform TuneIn, and consolidate its streaming presence exclusively on CBS-created Radio.com. The gambit creates a more silo’d and competitive landscape of radio aggregators. Continue Reading
London-based creative and ad-tech company A Million Ads has announced the completion of a venture capital funding round of 2.3-million GBP, targeted to product development and a U.S. expansion. The company creates “context-aware” audio ads Continue Reading
Nothing digital about this. But the passing of the greatest AM jock ever. (At least for those who grew up in the NYC market.) He was 83. Continue Reading
In January we were impressed by the Podcast Buying Guide released by cabana, AdLarge’s digital audio division. Now a follow-up, the Streaming Audio Buying Guide, is out and we are likewise impressed by its clarity, brevity, and usefulness. The guide is a promotion, of course, but also an informational glimpse into how a digital audio advertising company frames its view of the industry. Continue Reading
The RAIN Online Audio Advertising Summit was held in Chicago this week, resulting in a riveting program and extended networking opportunities for its 200 attendees at the House of Blues. A new format was introduced. Continue Reading
Google has released its awaited native Android podcasts app, Google Podcasts. While Google is planting its podcast discovery and distribution flag years after Apple established the category in iTunes, the release positions Google Podcasts as clear opposition to Apple’s Podcasts app. Continue Reading
Spotify held its slight lead over Pandora in March stream listening, an advantage established in January after three years of chasing. Aside from that metrics rivalry, the Top 20 group in Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics report gained one percent in overall listening compared to February. PLUS — a little bit of smart speaker reporting. Continue Reading
Digital audio advertising platform TargetSpot announced today the opening of an office in Toronto, as it continues a global expansion. The Canadian office is in Toronto, and the recently hired Nora Wallace has been appointed to lead it as Sales Director. Continue Reading
Earlier today London-based podcast company audioBoom announced it has obtained funding of 4.5-million GBP to solidify its operating future and strategy. We reached out to Chief Operating Officer Stuart Last for more details. The Q&A which unfolded is quite interesting, and portrays a company keen to execute a programming strategy along three key lines of business. Continue Reading