RAIN Notes: Thursday April 29
Jottings of note:
— Back in the Room (CES)
— Planning Ahead (She Podcasts)
— The How of HiRez (WIRED)
News
Spotify earnings: Modest rise of users, revenue as expected, skidding stock
Spotify (SPOT) released its Q1 earnings this morning, showing strong year-over-year growth and mixed quarter-over-quarter results. Investors sent the stock skidding nearly 10% (at this writing). Click for finance details and graphs showing user distributions.
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RAIN Notes: Wednesday April 28
Jottings of note:
— Productive Breakage (Integr8 Research)
— Playlisting the Game (iHeartRadio)
— Executive Promotion (LiSTNR)
— The Stoop Steps Up (Radiotopia/PRX)
Instreamatic completes $6.1-million fundraising
Voice dialog marketing company Instreamatic is today announcing the completion of a Series A $6.1-million round of fundraising led by Progress Ventures. The investment money is targeted to product development and increasing the staff. Continue Reading
New CEO at TPX as Jean-Marie Heimrath retires.
Lina Kim, formerly Managing Director at Havas Media Group, takes the CEO role at Toronto-based TPX (The Podcast Exchange) today, as former CEO Jean-Marie Heimrath retires. Heimrath remains on the board. Continue Reading
Riverside.FM raises $9.5-million dollars for product dev and doubling staff in 2021
Tel Aviv-based Riverside.FM, a browser-based recording studio that offers fluent interplay of audio and video, raised $9.5-million in a round led by Alexis Ohanion’s Seven Seven Six. New product features have just been released, and the company plans to double staff from 20 to 40. Click through for details and link to job openings. Continue Reading
Westwood One Podcast Network will rebrand as Cumulus Podcast Network
Cumulus Media-owned Westwood One Podcast Network will rebrand as Cumulus Podcast Network, the change taking place on May 6. Suzanne Grimes, Executive Vice President Corporate Marketing and President, Westwood One, will retain responsibility for the Company’s podcast sales network. The public-facing renaming makes eminent sense. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Wednesday April 21
Jottings of note:
— Threading the Apple (Nathan Gathright)
— Selling the Score (Variety)
— Tracking (Edison Research / WNYC)
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Matt Deegan: Apple’s New Subscription Podcast Features
by Matt Deegan
Guest columnist Matt Deegan (Folder Media) reports on Apple’s new announcements and product lineup for podcast creators, set to launch next month. Who does it work for, and who does it not work for? And what about Android users — the global smartphone majority? A clarifying and essential read. Continue Reading
SuChin Pak will host IAB Podcast Upfront; full presenter schedule
A whopping 31 presentations will be featured at the upcoming IAB Podcast Upfront (titled “Listen Up!”) scheduled for May 11-13. SuChin Pak will anchor the show with a rotating cast of co-hosts. Details and final schedule. Continue Reading
Apple’s “next chapter” of podcasting: Paid listening. And channels.
In an announcement targeted mainly to podcast creators, Apple announced two upcoming features that will enable podcasters to earn subscription revenue, and organize channels of content to increase listening. While both those features widely exist elsewhere, SVP Eddie Cue calls it “the next chapter of podcasting.” New analytics are also in the offing. It all comes out in May. Continue Reading
Facebook fills in audio roadmap: Podcasts, audio rooms, “Soundbites” and studio effects — all soon
Yesterday was hints. Today is a formal announcement with considerably more detail. Facebook suddenly adores audio, and is working with speedy timelines to introduce a suite of integrated audio products. Podcasts, yes, both as creator and distributor, folded into a matrix of ways to make and hear audio.
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