RAIN Notes: Monday, April 10
Jottings of Note
— New Home (Podcast Business Journal)
— Many Things (The Podglomerate)
— The Answer Is… (Vanity Fair)
Author: Brad Hill
iHeart, Wondery, NPR lead Podtrac Top Publishers ranker, plus RAIN Remix
iHeartPodcasts, Wondery, and NPR were the top 1, 2, and 3 podcast publishers in March, according to the Podtrac Top Publishers ranker. This monthly accounting tracks Podtrac measurement clients only. Click through for the entire report, plus the RAIN Remix which re-sorts the data for an average per-show view. Continue Reading
SoundStack launches automated SoundExchange royalty reporting for webcasters
Audio-centric content delivery network SoundStack is announcing today the launch of automated royalty reporting for its member webcasters. This first iteration of the new feature is specifically for SoundExchange royalties — those are the statutory rates for the use of recordings. The reporting feature is built into SoundStack Insights, the platform’s general data center for customers. Continue Reading
IAB announces Podcast Upfront location/agenda, returning to in-person hybrid format
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced the presentation lineup for the Spring 2023 Podcast Upfront. In doing so, we learn that the event will expand from its Covid-era online format to a hybrid in-person/streaming arrangement. The date is May 11, and the location is Quorum by Convene in Manhattan. Click through for the agenda. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Wednesday, April 5
Jottings of Note
— Joining (iHeartMedia)
— Serving the Underserved (Libsyn)
— No Longer Live (Spotify)
TuneIn announces addition of 120,000 audiobooks
Two-tier streaming service TuneIn has reportedly added 120,000 audiobooks to its streaming library. The collection is available to Premium membership, which is priced at $10/month. The newly assembled library makes a competitive posture with Audible, the Amazon-owned leader in audiobook publishing. Continue Reading
Podcast ad rates edge upward in March
The average cost per thousand (CPM) for podcast ads inched upward in March, across all measures of audience size. This according to AdvertiseCast’s monthly tracker, where average CPM for all audience size buckets (1,000 to 100,000+) settled in at $22.14, rising from the February average of $21.99. Click through for a 3-year trend chart. Continue Reading
Sonos launches spatial audio Era 300 speaker
Hifi home speaker company Sonos has launched its first speaker using Apple’s spatial audio, a Dolby Atmos technology which promises to create a surrounding effect for the listener. The new Sonos speaker is called Era 300. Marketing the device is problematic because it
is challenging to convey the experience without the speaker itself doing the marketing. Sonos does it visually. Click for video. Continue Reading
New podcasts dropped to new 13-month low in March
March saw the launch of 12, 408 new podcasts, the fewest in the 13-month period which includes March 2022. That metric from Listen Notes, which produces monthly and annual statistics of podcast creation. The high point of that 13-month span came in March 2022, when 22,533 new shows were created. Click for annual productivity and charts. Continue Reading
GM to reject “phone projected” audio; will develop in-car subscription platforms
General Motors has announced a plan to thwart in-car audio generated from connected personal phones, in the company’s electric vehicles. In place of that common type of listening, the car manufacturer will develop its own platform of audio and navigation. With this change, GM aspires to provide its own subscription revenue, potentially reaching $25-billion by 2030. Continue Reading
Leading online radio service AccuRadio to debut AI-driven channels designed for every human activity; April 1 launch
AccuRadio is leveraging its newly created AccuGPT AI tool to create a dazzling array of micro-topical, hyper-targeted music channels. Pre-populated channels include, “Waiting in Line at the DMV” and “I Can’t Find My Glasses,” assisted by AI-enabled video monitoring of AccuRadio users. “It’s more than on-demand, it’s a music experience that AccuGPT creates instantly upon observation,” said CEO and Founder Kurt Hanson. The AccuGPT plan will be put in place April 1, and a large tranch of 47,000 new AI-programmed music channels will debut on Monday, April 3rd. Continue Reading
Case study produces ASMR audio ads for Sport Clips, with Veritonic research
In a fascinating and experimental case study, haircutting shop Sport Clips leverage audio effectiveness research by Veritonic and audio design agency Play Audio Agency, to create ASMR audio spots. SMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is an audio experience which stimulates tingling sensations in some people which travel down from the top of the head into the back. Audio elements often used in ASMR videos include whispering, tapping, and rustling. Click for an audio sample, and good luck continuing to work after listening. Continue Reading