Investment house Goldman Sachs released a research note predicting the fortunes of the global music industry, from concerts to streaming. It’s a bad-news / good news sort of thing. everything down (a lot), then up (even more). Continue Reading
Entercom-owned RADIO.COM released a raft of encouraging listening numbers following a mobile app update. Listening increased in March month-over-month. Even sports programming saw gains, though no actual games were played. The mobile app has been updated for better content discovery and ad targeting. Continue Reading
Podtrac released its monthly ranking of top 20 podcasts for April. (See below.) Stability governs the upper portion, as the top six shows held their places from the previous month. New to the list in April: The Ron Burgundy Podcast, produced by iHeartRadio, taking the #16 spot. NPR is the most-represented publisher in this list. Continue Reading
If there would ever been an indicator of podcastings’ maturity as a media category, or a podcaster emerging as a media mogul, it is today’ blockbuster news that Joe Rogan has signed an exclusive arrangement with Spotify, worth $100-million. It’s… Continue Reading
Audio tech company Dolby has launched Dolby.io (company details at the same address) to “enhance and analyze media at scale.” The idea is to provide a brief code package in the form of an API (Application Programming Interface) which can streamline the mastering of audio — which can be a complex and lengthy process of analysis and adjustment. To understand better how this new tool works, and how it might be applied, we reached out to Will Mayo, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at SpokenLayer (and RAIN Summit speaker). Continue Reading
In the Q1 earnings report from Cumulus Media, digital and podcasting took starring roles even as Covid-19 damaged quarterly results for the company as a whole. The Westwood One Podcast Network is part of Cumulus. CEO Mary Berner defines the business as “audio-first media company.” Digital is driving growth. Podcasts are soaring. Continue Reading
The Gracie Awards, produced by the Alliance for Women in Media, have announced this year’s honorees. Podcasting plays a part in this in nine categories for 2020. Click through for podcast winners. Continue Reading
If genius is in the details, Super Hi-Fi is celebrating a moment of genius success: one-billion “audio stitches” — transitions between songs, mainly. The company’s AI tech creates smart and smooth segues between songs, meant not only to eliminate gaps in listening, but to create what Founder/CEO Zack Zalon calls “tapestries of emotional listening.” Continue Reading
Today’s headline news that online music service LiveXLive will acquire pioneering podcast network PodcastOne shines new light on both companies and raises their profiles. It is the latest in a category consolidation that is mashing up podcast networks with related — but different — new parent companies. Continue Reading
Warner Music Group shared its interest in going public earlier this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in its plans. Even though the virus continues to wreak havoc on both markets and populations, the company is continuing to lay groundwork to move forward with listing. Continue Reading
1A, WAMU’s successful current events radio/podcast show, has finalized its search for a permanent host. It is Jenna White, who comes to the Washington, D.C. station from WBEZ, Chicago where she hosts the station’s midday talk program Reset with Jenn White. Continue Reading
Warner Music Group released its financials for its fiscal second quarter. In the period ending March 31, The company posted a net loss of $74 million, reversing the income of $67 million in the year-ago period. The label also saw a slight dip of 1.7% in revenue, falling from $1.09 billion to $1.07 billion. Continue Reading