PRX-owned Radiotopia is adding two programs to its curated portfolio of podcasts. The Bugle is a satirical comedy show founded by John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman. The West Wing Weekly is a throwback fancast which offers a week-by-week discussion of the TV drama The West Wing Continue Reading
SoundExchange has filed its royalty rate request to the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) for satellite radio’s use of music recordings. This is part of the “SDARS III” proceeding, which will set music royalty rates for Sirius XM, taking effect in the 2018-2022 period. Continue Reading
Independent label network Merlin has inked another licensing deal, this one for Russia. Merlin signed an agreement with Mail.ru, which owns social network and media hub vKontakte. Continue Reading
Australian podcast host Omny Studio released a new tool for sharing audio on Facebook. The company now offers automatically generated waveform videos called Visualised Audio. These customizable clips are intended to help podcasters get their shows ranked higher by the algorithms used by the social network. Continue Reading
Spotify is rolling out new video projects left and right. The latest one is called Flash Frame, and it’s an interesting mix of artist profile and fan service. The series will highlight major moments from a performer’s career with live performances of iconic songs. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio shared two announcements about where to tune in to its lean-back digital audio service. It has revised its presence on Xbox One and is part of a family programming service from Samsung. Continue Reading
Bob Shennan has been promoted to the new BBC Director of Radio. His appointment follows the departure of Helen Boaden, who recently stepped down as the broadcaster’s director of radio. Continue Reading
Swedish industry group Musiksverige released a report about the nation’s music business in 2015. As shared last month by the IFPI, 85% of recorded music revenue in Sweden came from streaming last year. But this report demonstrates just how sudden and thorough the shift was in that market. Continue Reading
AudioBoom was recognized with one of The Radio Academy’s new Audio & Radio Industry Awards. It received the ARIA for best digital audio service. Continue Reading
NPR announced some improvements to its ratings and audience growth. President and CEO Jarl Mohn credited some of the boost to the election cycle, but added that “first rate journalism, riveting storytelling, revamped newsmagazines, live reporting, and better user platforms” were also part of the success. Continue Reading
Subscriptions have become big business in the UK, with 78% now paying for one. New research from Zuora and YouGov surveyed more than 2,000 British adults about their use of subscriptions. A shift toward experience over ownership emerged as a key takeaway. Continue Reading
Garth Brooks is a long-time holdout against streaming, but it seems that the country icon has changed his mind. Brooks has made parts of his catalog exclusively available on the new Amazon Music Unlimited service. Continue Reading