Spotify is continuing its spree of podcast acquisition with the purchase of Parcast, its third buy of 2019. The deal will bring Parcast’s podcast library to Spotify, as well as its ability to attract audiences and its existing listener base. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia has acquired Radiojar Information Technology, an online audio company based in Greece. Radiojar is a centralized, cloud-based platform for audio playout. Following the acquisition by iHeartMedia subsidiary RCS, Radiojar’s tools will be used at the media conglomerate to combine elements of bradcast radio into digital channels such as podcasts and music streaming. Continue Reading
The audio industry is still adapting to the new landscape of podcasting after Spotify’s move to acquire both Gimlet Media and Anchor. We’ve heard outside opinions and analysis of the deal, but now there’s some information straight from the horse’s mouth. Gimlet co-founders Alex Blumberg and Matt Lieber sat down with Recode, fittingly on an episode of the podcast Recode Media With Peter Kafka, to discuss their motivations for selling, Spotify, and the future of their operation. Continue Reading
Spotify has acquired not one, but two podcasting companies. The rumor mill hinted this week that the streaming company was in negotiations for podcast producer Gimlet Media, and that is one of the purchases. But Spotify has also acquired Anchor, a straightforward service that lets anyone start creating, distributing, and monetizing podcasts. Continue Reading
The media sphere burbled over the weekend with late-Friday reporting that Spotify is “in talks” to acquire podcast powerhouse Gimlet Media, with a price tag above $200-million. If this happens, it will be the richest institutional dive into podcasting yet. click through for details, and a history of podcast acquisitions, full and partial. Continue Reading
As predicted in this week’s Sirius XM earnings call for Q4 2018, the Sirius XM acquisition of Pandora closed today. Pandora is now a wholly owned component of the satellite broadcaster. In the earnings call, Sirius CEO Jim Meyer had things to say about Pandora, and was explicit in laying out broad strategic thoughts. Click through for abundant quotes. Continue Reading
Subscription-based online music service Akazoo will be acquired by Modern Media Acquisition Corp. (MMAC), the company founded by ex-CEO of media group Cumulus, Lew Dickey. Complex stock maneuvering will result in new ticker symbol, but straight line for existing investors. Continue Reading
The online audio industry was eventful in 2018, especially on the consolidation front. Here are the top M&A events: Continue Reading
Apple looks to be closing 2018 with another music business acquisition. Platoon is an A&R and creative services company founded in 2016. The London-based company has helped early-stage artists in the U.S. and the UK such as Billie Eilish, Jorja Smith, and Stefflon Don before their major signings. Continue Reading
Spotify is closing out the year by sharing statistics. First, the streaming service shared its top performers of 2018. Second, it has opted to promote its platform for another year with the Wrapped promotional campaign of advertisements sharing unusual or funny data points from its listeners. Continue Reading
The acquisition of Triton Digital by E.W. Scripps has closed, the parent company announced this morning. First announced six weeks ago, the merger settles what has been an uneven path for Triton in 2018, as it adds an important piece to Scripps’ digital acquisition strategy. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia announced that it has acquired Jelli, a specialist in programmatic audio advertising for radio and the creator of the SpotPlan platform. Jelli’s technology has been pivotal as audio moves toward programmatic buying and selling. Its work has been especially relevant to the broadcast industry. Continue Reading