All forms of broadcast.
WorldDAB announced the formation of a new group centered on cars. The Automotive User Experience Group will focus on improving the use of in-car DAB radios and understanding the effect of future trends with the technology. Continue Reading
The first quarter RAJAR data for 2016 revealed steady growth for radio listening in the UK, depending on the platform. All radio listening had an audience of 47.8 million adults, or 89.3% of the adult population. Digital radio audience has continued to grow slightly, from 56% in Q4 2015 to 57% in Q1 2016. Continue Reading
Radio has been selling music for a long time. Just not directly. No broadcaster claims it as a primary goal, compared to generating ratings and advertising revenue, but radio’s ability to create a sales story is certainly at the heart of its resistance to the latest music industry call for a performance royalty. No matter where you land on that issue, radio is more valuable to the music business if it can demonstrably generate purchases, and if there are still purchases to generate. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Much ado about podcasting; BBC attacked right and left; how US and Canadian radio differ. Continue Reading
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which advocates for digital radio transmission and tracks its progress, has released Market Insights: Digital Radio 2016. The report summarizes policy, technology, highlight content offerings, and the roll-out progress across 21 regions. Continue Reading
U.K. Culture Secretary John Whittingdale addressed the British House of Commons today, and released a whitepaper, laying out operational and programming principles that will formulate the next BBC Royal Charter — that is, in Whittingdale’s words, the constitutional basis for the BBC. The next 11-year term of the charter begins in 2017. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Digging into Pandora’s financial results, SEO for podcasts, and the BBC’s global news audience. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia President Rich Bressler called digital “a nice add-on to broadcast radio,” particularly in the social outreach of its main brand and its hundreds of stations. And he had more to say about programmatic advertising keeping the company in parity with natively digital media. Continue Reading
The LG Stylus 2, the first smartphone with built-in DAB+ technology, has launched in the UK and Australia. It retails for £219.99 in the UK and A$499 in Australia. The digital radio smartphone debuted at Radiodays Europe. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Missives from the launch of the first digital radio smartphone in the UK and Australia. Great video from Broadcast Bionics. Also pieces about Serial, NPR One, NTS, and much more. Continue Reading
Sirius XM reported its first-quarter results for 2016 and has increased its guidance for the year’s net subscriber growth based on the performance. Quarterly revenue rose 11% to a high of $1.2 billion. Sirius XM said it now anticipates adding 1.6 million net new total subscribers in 2016. Continue Reading
Ezra Kucharz, President of CBS Local Digital Media, is leaving his CBS position, and will take on a consulting role as Special Advisor to the CEO of CBS. Kucharz made an informal announcement of his move in a LinkedIn note, and also circulated a memo to his team. Continue Reading