RAIN Notes: Wednesday, May 8
— Full Spectrum (Libsyn)
— Exciting Audio Moments (iHeartMedia)
— The Biggest (Inside Radio)
Wondery opens Ad Analytics, a multi-service array
Podcast and creative solutions network Wondery has opened Wondery Ad Analytics, a campaign success evaluation service which leverages multiple information and measurement services. Four areas of focus are highlighted, and an ad effectiveness funnel. Click for details and graphics. Continue Reading
Podcast ad rate stability continues; small campaigns reach new cost low. (Libsyn Ads)
The average cost per thousand (CPM) for podcast advertising in April was nearly identical to March , dipping only five cents, or two-tenths of one percent. But there is also something remarkable in this month’s report: Small campaigns reach a new low in average cost. Continue Reading
Spotify paywalls lyrics. Users recoil.
Spotify has placed a limit on free song lyrics which appear to the ad-supported, no-pay version of the app. Meant as an inducement to upgrade membership, and possibly succeeding to some extent, the shift is generating predictable upset. We review the outrage. Continue Reading
The on-hold opportunity: Veritonic measures consumer preferences
“Be thoughtful about your hold experience.” That is the guiding principle and throughline of a new study by audio analytics company Veritonic — Harmonizing Connections: How Audio Turns Waiting Time into Brand-Building Opportunities. Veritonic hits on an audio segment almost never mentioned: The music or spoken word audio that customers hear when they call a company and must wait on hold. Continue Reading
Cumulus Q1: Digital up. Total revenue down. “Considerable runway.”
Recent refinancing of debt helped Cumulus Media CEO Mary Berner describe a company with solid gains in a challenging environment. Click for details, quotes, key learnings, and stock chart. Continue Reading
SiriusXM Q1: $1.7B revenue; $993M gross profit; podcasting the star in YoY growth
Financial reports for this audio behemoth are always complex affairs. We separate the two main reporting entities, and deliver key results of the Q1 financial report. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Monday, April 29
Why P1 radio consumers listen more … and less. (Jacobs Media TechSurvey 2024)
In the newly released new TechSurvey 2024, Jacobs Media ambitiously surveyed over 31,000 participants. As ever with this annual effort, most respondents were members of radio station databases, We look at why loyal radio consumers are listening less, and listening more, and attitudes about AI. Click for details, graphs, and the study download link Continue Reading
March podcast ad spend stays steady (Magellan); 10 of top 15 are repeaters
Magellan AI’s accounting of podcast advertiser spending for March, for the top 15 spenders, shows a total spend almost exactly the same as in February. Ten of 15 are month-over-month repeaters. Notably, March had three more days than February.
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Spotify Q1: 1B Euros; total revenue +20%; 615M monthly users
Spotify’s Q1 earnings report provides clear bragging points for Spotify. Click for details and a financial data graphic. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Navigating The Real Risks Of AI-Audio
by Steve Goldstein
In this latest guest column from podcast consultant and public speaker Steve Goldstein, Steve offers assessments of AI’s role in podcast production — including the host chair. The bottom line is to use AI cautiously, and Steve provides general guidelines. “As cliché as it might sound, don’t lose sight of what makes podcasts truly resonant and meaningful: their authenticity.” This is an important read. Continue Reading