In what appears to be a strategy which combines retention, attracting new shows, and expanding its network ad inventory, podcast host Spreaker has launched Spreaker Prime, a no-cost high-end service for podcasters who have attained a minimum audience level. Continue Reading
Sony Music Entertainment has published its results from the first quarter of its fiscal 2019. Total sales revenue grew 11% for the period to 202.3 billion yen ($1.86 billion) and recorded music sales also rose 11% to 111.9 billion yen ($1 billion). Continue Reading
Edison Research has been recognized with the 2019 Content Marketing Award for Best Use of Original Research in Content Marketing. The Content Marketing Institute bestowed the award for Edison’s work on The Infinite Dial 2018 research survey. Continue Reading
Sirius XM released its financial results from the second quarter. “Our company produced outstanding financial and operating results once again this quarter, and I’m pleased by the quick progress we’ve made in integrating Pandora,” CEO Jim Meyer said. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: James reflects on the value (or lack of value) in music logs for radio presenters. Plus, an artistic look at the past future from the more distant past. Continue Reading
Rick Brace is stepping down from the helm of Rogers Media after serving as the company’s president since 2015. He will retire at the end of the year. Brace will be succeeded by Jordan Banks in the president role, effective September 9. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Leading Apple Music’s next act. Podcast recommendations by DM. Streaming growth is still slow in Africa. Continue Reading
The BBC has continued to make updates and improvements to its Alexa skill. The biggest new development is the ability to seamlessly continue listening to a program between an Alexa-enabled device and the BBC Sounds app or website. Continue Reading
Vivendi has released its financial results for the first half of 2019, including the latest financials for Universal Music Group. The major label saw recorded music revenue reach nearly €2.6 billion, up 22.4% from the first half of 2018. Continue Reading
After all three of the main developers of voice assistant platforms have faced privacy breaches, either through whistleblowers or through human or mechanical errors, a member of Congress is moving to address the risks to consumers. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) has introduced a new act that would give people recourse for when smart speakers and smart doorbells collect data in violation of their terms of agreements. Continue Reading
The RAJAR Midas report surveys UK adults on their audio consumption habits. The summer results reveal age as a key predictor in several audio trends, including in podcasts, on-demand music, and smartphones. Continue Reading
We got word this morning that Spotify’s popular in-house playlist Viva Latino! playlist now has more than 10-million followers (10,099,861 as of this writing). A rating of 10-million users is a milestone achievement, and Viva’s success is an indicator of the extent to which music playlists compete with CDs, radio stations, and even successful TV programs. Continue Reading