Nielsen 360 Report finds big online audience, but little online spending

Nielsen has released highlights for its 360 Music Report of 2015. One of the highlights of Nielsen reports are the breakdowns on music spending. For the total population, online music streaming services accounts for 7% of annual music spend, and 11% goes to digital tracks or albums. Cost was the top reason for listeners in selecting a streaming service, and it was part of the top two reasons for people to not subscribe. Finally, this year’s report found that AM/FM and satellite radio was the top discovery engine. Continue Reading

James Cridland’s Weekly Links: Is AM radio dead in Europe? How radio adapts to social. Much more.

by James Cridland

James Cridland Weekly Links is a column by the U.K.’s radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Personal news about James Cridland’s relocation; the supposed death of AM in Europe; coverage of Radio X in the U.K.; DAB is London and Germany; more. Continue Reading

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Kurt Hanson: San Diego radio losing a valuable brand name in “Jeff & Jer”

by Kurt Hanson

Morning drive team “Jeff & Jer” are departing the San Diego airwaves. Whatever the reason, says Kurt Hanson, stations should try hard to retain personality talent — a key strength of radio in its competition with satellite and Internet radio. Continue Reading

Internet Radio Rewind #58: BBC reinvention; record-breaking music royalties; Pandora’s free day; more

A weekly podcast from RAIN News

Sponsored by AudioBoom


The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: 200-page BBC report reinvents the mission; record-setting royalty collections in the U.S.; Pandora celebrates an anniversary; more. Continue Reading

Kurt Hanson: Live-copy testimonials are back on late-night TV

by Kurt Hanson

Stephen Colbert debuted as the new host of “The Late Show” on CBS last night. One of the highlights was seeing the return of live-copy testimonial advertising from the show’s host. It was hilarious, and effective. Kurt Hanson connects the creative tactic to podcasting and music streaming. Continue Reading

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New infographic shows low AM/FM listening share for teens

The Music Business Association released a new infographic with data about broadcast radio listenership by age. The younger demographics posted low numbers for this audio format. Ages 15-19 had just 24% share, while 20-24 was 33%. Ages 50 and older had a solid 61%. These results – young people aren’t that into traditional radio – echo what we’ve seen in other recent research. Continue Reading

Audio solutions company buys iBiquity for $172 million

DTS announced that it will acquire iBiquity for a price of about $172 million. iBiquity is the exclusive developer and licensor of HD Radio technology, while DTS is a provider of high-definition audio solutions. Bob Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity, will continue to lead the HD Radio business following the acquisition. The deal is expected to close later this year. Continue Reading

Australia expanding regional DAB+ tests to 2016

The Australian Communications and Media Authority announced that it will extend the current round of DAB+ trials until June 30, 2016. The tests are occurring in Canberra and Darwin, and are being led by Commercial Radio Australia. The trials happening in the capital city of Canberra include the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service, with hope for community services to eventually join. Continue Reading