News

24% of Cumulus radio streams are on smart speakers; and interesting ad campaign results

Posted on by Brad Hill

“Smart speaker ownership soars and brings AM/FM back into the home,” writes Pierre Bouvard in a new Westwood One blog post. A key statistic from the parent company backs this up: 24% of stream listening to Cumulus radio stations happens on smart speakers. Cumulus booked an interesting smart speaker preroll campaign with a consortium of Ford dealerships. Click through for more context, a chart, and link to more. Continue Reading →

Podchaser raises $4M; plans new features

Posted on by Brad Hill

Podchaser, a podcast database company and social network of sorts for podcast listeners, announces today that it has raised $4-million from lead investor Greycroft, plus a slewe of additional investors and participating angels. The service plans to build gamification and discussion features into an environment that self-describes as “The IMDb of Pdcasting.” Continue Reading →

Tom Hanks vaults TuneIn app to top10, with 28% increase in U.S. downloads

Posted on by Brad Hill

Has A-list actor Tom Hanks joined TuneIn’s corporate communications team? No, but he did shine love on the TuneIn app when Stephen Colbert asked Hanks to name his favorite app. “Camera,” Hanks said. Answer disqualified by Colbert because the camera is built in. It took Hanks one second to assert: “I’ll go to TuneIn Radio because I can listen to any radio station in the world.” TuneIn’s Apple app shot up instantly. Click through for the clip, and for TuneIn’s audience metrics. Continue Reading →

Podcast listeners are young, avid, and growing their listening (Westwood One)

Posted on by Brad Hill

Westwood One has released the latest in its Audioscape series, posted by Brittany Faison to the Westwood One blog. The data are taken from Edison Research, and the focus of this release is squarely on podcasting. For years, Westwood One has been the most forthcoming distributor of metrics from Edison’s proprietary subscription product, Share of Ear, and that’s where this info comes from. Click through for key points and graphics. Continue Reading →

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The Podcast Academy resets Board of Governors

Posted on by Brad Hill

In what Rob Greenlee termed a “changing of the guard,” both he (as Chair) and Kerri Hoffman (as Secretary) are shifting out of their roles in the Board of Governors at The Podcast Academy. Greenlee told RAIN, “The leadership change in the Board of Governors was planned and is happening per our organization’s Bylaws.” Click through for more info about new Board officers and members. Continue Reading →

Amazon buys Wondery to join Amazon Music

Posted on by Brad Hill

The deal is not yet closed, but the agreement is. As rumored, Amazon will acquire Wondery, the last of the major creative networks in podcasting’s resurgent era to lose indie status. Amazon positions the company as joining Amazon Music, where Amazon’s podcast directory lives, but we see a future in Audible Originals for wondery’s creative production. Founder/CEO Hernan Lopez will step down to manage his new foundation; COO Jen Sargent will take over. Click through for quotes and context. Continue Reading →

ASCAP and BMI jointly create Songview data platform for new level of music rights transparency

Posted on by Brad Hill

Leading performance rights organizations (PROs) ASCAP and BMI have jointly announced the launch of Songview, a searchable database of music ownership rights. Better organization and transparency in the tangled field of music ownership has long been needed, according to nearly all experts in the field, to more accurately and quickly direct royalty payments to the proper creators. Continue Reading →