Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Radionet interviewed four industry pros for their predictions on streaming media in 2018. Envisioning a future where typing is replaced by voice controls. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia might file for bankruptcy as soon as this weekend, according to multiple reports, and Liberty Media disclosed that it has already acquired some of the debt that it wishes to. Liberty’s Q4 earnings call yesterday provided timely information. Continue Reading
ITN Productions, a UK-based television company, is making its first foray into podcasting with Audible. ITN has produced four original podcasts for Audible’s new Audio Shows platform in the UK. Its first two investigative, factually-based shows debuted with the launch of Audio Shows. Continue Reading
Gimlet Media has released a new show that targets two recent trends in the podcast space: children and voice systems. Chompers is a twice-daily podcast designed to encourage good dental hygiene in kids. It is sponsored by Oral B and Crest Kids, both dental health companies, and will have new episodes twice a day for all of March. Continue Reading
Germany’s music trade group BVMI has posted its results from 2017. The country saw recorded music revenue of €1.59 billion (around $1.94 billion) during the year, down just 0.3% from the prior year. Continue Reading
Spotify is losing one of its most influential and successful curators. Tuma Basa, the company’s global programming head of hip-hop, has decided to depart the streaming service. Basa was a driving force behind Spotify’s RapCaviar playlist, which has almost 9 million followers and has become a live concert series. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio has announced several new podcasts on its roster. First is a collaboration with Variety for Playback with Kris Tapley. Second is Enrique Santos En Overtime. Finally, Tom Brokaw has relaunched his podcast Now Hear This on iHeartRadio. Continue Reading
CISAC has published a study investigating the economic impact of safe harbor provisions on the digital market. These legal provisions were originally intended to provide copyright liability protections for digital companies when their users committed infringements. However, the study argues that safe harbors are having the opposite effect and are creating an unfair advantage for user uploaded content companies. Continue Reading
Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research shares his insights on Spotify’s direct public offering to join the New York Stock Exchange. The action has been years in the making, but what does it mean for the future of the streaming company? Continue Reading
After many hints, signals, and seeming delays, Spotify has filed for a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange, for one-billion dollars. Spotify will trade on the NYSE as the ticker symbol SPOT. As expected, this is a “direct listing,” so there is no established share price. Public trading will start at a date to be set. Continue Reading
Cabana, the digital audio division for AdLarge, announced that the Parents on Demand Network is joining its roster of podcasts. Parents on Demand shows cover topics from pregnancy to adoption to parenting teens. Broadcast television journalist Sunny Gault launched the network after her first child was born, and worked with AdLarge as her ad sales partner. Continue Reading
Two big developments emerged today that could have a sweeping impact on India’s streaming music landscape. First, Amazon Prime Music has rolled out in India. Second, Tencent announced an investment round of $115 million in local streaming service Gaana. Continue Reading