PodcastOne has haired Dana Senit, formerly with TargetSpot, as its new Sales Manager, Western Region. Senit was with TargetSpot for nearly seven years. Senit has a 20-year career in sales and account management. Continue Reading
Midroll Media announced today that Chris Bannon, currently VP of Content Development and Production at public radio’s WNYC, will join Midroll as Chief Content Officer starting March 16. RAIN News spoke to Chris Bannon and Midroll Media CEO Adam Sachs about the appointment and the opportunity in podcasting. Continue Reading
The Download on Podcasts is a new weekly feature sponsored by PodcastOne.
2015 is widely proclaimed to be the Year of the Podcast. A lot of media uptake hinges on Serial, last year’s breakout hit program. But momentum has been building in deeper layers of the audio industry. Podcasting’s future has never looked brighter — for radio professionals, content entrepreneurs, and amateur webcasters. Continue Reading
Audio production and media syndication company Benztown announced a partnership with ConnectPal, a content marketplace for independent creators. Benztown will put its talent assets into ConnectPal’s monetization platform, and has also taken a financial stake of an undisclosed amount in ConnectPal. Continue Reading
While reviewing the recently launched Chive Podcast podcast, we noticed an execeptional native ad performance for MeUndies, a lifestyle brand that mainly sells high-end underwear. The campaign keeps the hip tone of MeUndies marketing in general, while avoiding NSFW controversies that have characterized (and sometimes benefitted) MeUndies marketing in the past. Click to listen. Continue Reading
Attention startups in the streaming audio space — game on! Eight days left to submit your early-stage company for possible inclusion in an influential panel opportunity at RAIN Summit West.
RAIN Summits announces the “Streaming Audio’s Startup Economy” discussion panel at RAIN Summit West, April 12 in Las Vegas. Continue Reading
Yahoo-owned Tumblr, one of the biggest content sites in the world, is experiencing a furor among its bloggers who post music. Several tumblr blogs have reportedly been switched off for copyright-infringing music posts. A newly-installed download button on Tumblr is part of the controversy. Continue Reading
Dozens of Swedish songwriters signed an OpEd in Aftonbladet, a leading Swedish newspaper, complaining of low royalty payouts from streaming services compared to royalties collected by record labels, and predicted an imploding industry if a different balance is not created. Spotify is a target, but record labels get more heat. Continue Reading
Google appears to be preparing a new YouTube feature called YouTube Radio. The description matches an existing YouTube Music experience called YouTube Mix. The new feature might be a subtle tweak, or a key new YouTube experience. Continue Reading
Quick news items and worthy reads from around the web:
Mark Mulligan on Rhapsody
iBiquity on HD Radio potential Continue Reading
A lawsuit brought by VerStandig Broadcasting in Virginia last May, which sought to limit music royalty payments for its webcasts, has been ejected in a pre-trial dismissal by a federal judge. Judge Michael Urbanski reportedly dismissed the case as too “speculative” and “hypothetical” for trial. Continue Reading
Zane Lowe, well known in Britain and around the world for his weeknight music-discovery radio show on the BBC, has taken a position at Apple in Cupertino. When a popular DJ quits his show and moves to one of the world’s leading technology companies, the news can be framed within the human-vs-machine argument which divides streaming music curation Continue Reading