RAIN Notes: Wednesday, January 10
— The State of Audio (Edison Research)
— AI voice agreement (SAG-AFTRA)
— New Partner (PRX)
Author: Brad Hill
Magellan AI adds attention metrics with Adelaide partnership
Podcast market intelligence and measurement company Magellan AI has partnered with Adelaide to bring attention metrics into Magellan’s podcast measurement suite. The arrangement will bring out show-level attention ratings by campaign, giving advertisers more insight into campaign effectiveness. The output of Adelaide’s technology is its so-called AU metric, a benchmarking score of listener engagement. Click to learn more. Continue Reading
Copyright Royalty Board starts Web VI, the next royalty setting process for streaming music
The U.S. Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), tasked with setting the royalty rates and terms for webcasting performances of records, has started the next every-five-years process. What comes next is two years of exhibits and legal argument from both sides — labels which own the music, and webcasters who play the music. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Tuesday, January 9
iHeartPodcast Awards returns with SXSW partnership
The iHeartPodcast Awards, formerly held independently in a Los Angeles performance venue, and simulcast online, will return on March 11 at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin. The event is revived via a partnership with the SXSW Conference and Festivals. Details. Continue Reading
Triton Digital announces integration with Amazon Publisher Service; expansion for both services
Triton Digital is taking advantage of this week’s CES electronics trade show to announce the integration of its advertising marketplace with Amazon Publisher Services (APS). The union expands Triton’s audio ad inventory to existing APS publishers, and extends Amazon’s “interactive audio ads” to the Triton Digital advertising network. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Monday, January 8
— Spearheading (iHeartMedia)
— New to the Team (The Podglomerate)
— More Mysteries (Libsyn AdvertiseCast)
SoundCloud owners reportedly ready to sell in 2024; $1B+ expected
SoundCloud, which has fashioned itself “the YouTube of audio,” will reportedly be on the acquisition market in 2024, according to a report in Sky News. SoundCloud is the leading crowdfunded music showcase and streaming listening platform, founded in 2007. Over 40-million musicians and labels upload to the platform, contributing to a catalog of 320-million tracks. Continue Reading
Podcast ad rates flat in December: Libsyn AdvertiseCast
The average cost per thousand (CPM) for podcast advertising remained essentially flat in December, about one dollar lower than the average rate in November. This from the monthly reckoning at AdvertiseCast. Click for graphs and multi-year high and low points. Continue Reading
Audacy prepares Chapter 11 while facing ~$2B debt
Radio/audio giant Audacy is reportedly undergoing bankruptcy negotiations with lenders. The expectation is that Audacy will file for Chapter 11 protection as it renegotiates approximately $1.9-billion in debt. The company is parent company to two acquired podcast studios, Cadence 13 and Pineapple Street Studios. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Thursday, January 4
— Royalty (Bernth Brodtrager)
— Retrospection (Pacific Content)
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Fewer new podcasts in 2023; episode volume remains stable
2023 saw fewer new podcast launches than in each of the previous four years. The most recent year which produced fewer was 2018. New episode volume remains high, over four years. Click for numbers and charts.
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