The Music Modernization Act has been introduced in the Senate. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced the bill. The legislation to overhaul mechanical licensing reached the House of Representatives in December, and the Senate version follows that bill. Continue Reading
Vox Media has a new marketing lead for podcasts. Zach Kahn announced his promotion on Twitter. Kahn has been with Vox in partnership and marketing positions since May 2016. Continue Reading
YouTube is now a registration agency for the International Standard Name Identifier. This means that the video platform will request a unique identifier for every creator whose work is used on the service. The move is intended to ensure that the correct individuals are attributed to each distribution. Continue Reading
Midroll Brand Studio, a division of podcast content and advertising company Midroll Media, announced the start of four new shows, each with presenting sponsors. Three brand sponsors are mentioned in the announcement: ZipRecruiter, Squarespace, and Carbonite. Continue Reading
YouTube has its fair share of critics, especially in the music industry. According to a new report from Bloomberg, it seems that YouTube may be trying to create leverage that will keep musicians from making negative comments about the video platform. The publication said it has learned that YouTube has offered a few musicians hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial backing to produce videos and billboard promotion, with the caveat that these performers won’t say negative things about the company. Continue Reading
Futuri Media issued an announcement today which expands the company’s purview beyond the suite of software and technology products it has offered broadcasters for years. At the crux is a new product called the Futuri Ad Network, which promises “flexible and turnkey options for generating revenue with digital content.” Continue Reading
YouTube announced it is merging all of that performer’s subscribers into the Official Artist Channel, which will be identified with a music note icon. That could reduce the visibility of Vevo, which is owned by two major music labels, with investment from Alphabet (parent company of YouTube and Google). Continue Reading
In the November report of Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics Top 20 Ranker, overall stream listening moved upward 3% for the whole group compared to October. Percentage gains for the month were led by Pandora and AccuRadio. Continue Reading
Announced in June, projected to launch in December, launch delayed in November — Apple’s HomePod smart speaker is now on the calendar to hit the market on February 9, with pre-orders starting this Friday. Questions loom. Continue Reading
Triton Digital and Edison Research have announced the date for the 2018 edition of The Infinite Dial, the influential annual study of how Americans listen to audio. It is Thursday, March 8. The live presentation is hosted annually by Tom Webster (SVP, Edison Research) and John Rosso (President, Market Development, Triton Digital). Continue Reading
Molly Neuman is leaving her position as head of music for Kickstarter after two years with the crowdfunding platform. She is joining Songtrust as the company’s first Global Head of Business Development. Songtrust is a global royalty collection service and publishing administrator. Continue Reading
Napster hired a new vice president of business development & operations for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Venesa Hoffman will be tasked with leading and executing the growth strategy, sales, marketing, and operations in that geographic region. Continue Reading