Spotify has increased its war chest of cash, taking one-billion dollars in a debt offering to institutional investors that points explicitly to a future Initial Public Offering (IPO). The deal rewards investors with discounted pricing in the event of a Spotify IPO, and Spotify is punished if the public offering is delayed. Continue Reading
Yesterday’s announcement that Pandora switched out its CEO, replacing Brian McAndrews with Tim Westergren, was startling both in unexpectedness and lack of explanation. Tim Westergren is Pandora’s founding visionary, a musician with technology chops. What does this change signal? Continue Reading
We received word from AudioHQ of a new on-demand audio series to start this fall. It is the first original podcast program developed by the digital audio ad sales company. Partnering with AudioHQ are Laurence Fishburne through his Cinema Gypsy Productions company, and Larenz Tate’s TateMen Entertainment company. Continue Reading
Pandora founder Tim Westergren has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer effective immediately, the company announced this morning. Former CEO Brian McAndrews is leaving the company. Continue Reading
A couple of session summaries emanating from the Radiodays Europe conference earlier this month indicate that public radio in Britain and Nordic countries is facing challenges of reduced listening to traditional radio among young people. Continue Reading
Spotify announced a dramatic increase in targeting options offered to streaming audio advertisers. Over 100 new segments are being brought to the U.S. advertising market, many of them sharpened by Spotify’s first-party data collection of listener behavior. Continue Reading
Kickstarter meets Wall Street. Music service 8tracks is filing for a Regulation A securities offering, hoping to raise $5-million or more through a public investment opportunity open to anybody. Required documents will be filed this week. After regulatory review, 8tracks expects the investment round to open by June. Regulation A is a relatively new investment type. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Mobile YouTubing skyrockets in India; Sainsbury bets big on vinyl; developing high-definition vinyl; Panoply exec talks shop. Continue Reading
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Podcat is a refreshing X-Ray view that reveals the personalities in podcasts — who’s in and who’s not. Along the way, you’ll find some good shows you didn’t know about. Continue Reading
In the fast-moving field of online audio, with audiences shifting from yesterday’s trends to tomorrow’s, research is essential. Three research reports will highlight RAIN Summit West on April 17, in Las Vegas, among many other features. Continue Reading
After years of development and months of teasers, Nielsen formally launched its streaming measurement service, branded Nielsen Digital Audio Ratings. Part of Nielsen’s broad Total Audience enterprise, which aspires to deliver comprehensive audience measurement of over-the-air and Internet television and radio, the new service offers analytics to Nielsen-subscribing radio stations that sell advertising across the digital divide. Continue Reading
Ginny Morris, CEO and Chair of Hubbard Radio, and a 32-year veteran of radio, will be the keynote speaker at RAIN Summit West on April 17 in Las Vegas. Her keynote speech will be followed by a Q&A session with Paul Jacobs of Jacobs Media. Continue Reading