Crowdfunding platform Patreon has closed a series C funding round of $60 million, bringing its total raised to $107 million. The new financing will go toward hiring and scaling growth for the patronage-based platform for supporting creative projects by artists, musicians, performers, and, noteworthy for RAIN readers, podcasters. Continue Reading
The IFPI has released a new report focused on the consumer music industry, and the analysis finds continued traction for streaming as a listening format worldwide. The results showed that 45% of listeners are engaged in licensed audio streaming, up from 37% last year. Continue Reading
Pandora has rolled out its Video Plus ad product to all advertisers. This option means that brands only pay when users watch 15 seconds of a video ad. In exchange, the viewer temporarily unlocks listening features that would typically be available only for Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium subscribers. Continue Reading
Triton Digital announced another new client for its enterprise podcast management solution. Neuhoff Communications has signed on to power its on-demand content strategy with the platform from Triton and Omny Studio. Under this deal, Neuhoff will use Omny’s podcast platform for capturing, editing, and distributing its on-demand content. Continue Reading
Podtrac has posted its podcast rankings for August 2017. Most of the top 20 shows are familiar to regular readers of this monthly chart, but the August installment does show some changes worth noting. Continue Reading
We learn from Billboard that Ty Roberts, Chief Technology Officer of Universal Music Group (UMG) has left the company after a little more than a year. Ty Roberts’ sideways career move from Gracenote to Universal was seen by many as a significant signal that the music industry could, to some extent, reinvent itself as a technology industry — or at least a tech-flriendly, tech-fluent one. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio and National Public Radio (NPR) are doing business. An announcement on the iHeart blog says that over 30 NPR podcasts are now available. We count 36 shows in the app today — mostly hit shows that any podcast directory would like to distribute to retain fans. Invisibilia, TED Radio Hour, Fresh Air, Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Politics, and other familiar titles are in there. Continue Reading
TuneIn is sending around a launch note for its First Play section, which contains exclusive early releases of episodes in new and established podcasts. First Play is an unadorned section within the TuneIn app, in which we found 11 participating podcasts. Networks that are in this plan include WNYC Studios, Gimlet Media, HowStuffWorks, Wondery, and Feral Audio. Continue Reading
Beverly Hills live music listening platform LiveXLive Media has agreed to acquire Slacker Radio for $50-million. The maneuver comes immediately after appointing Andy Schuon as company president; the acquisition is Schuon’s first action. He had been on LiveXLive’s advisory board. Continue Reading
Digital audio sales company AudioHQ announced today an alliance with British sports media company talkSPORT to distribute Premier Leagues football (soccer) match radio coverage, and represent its ad inventory. The distribution will happen on the TuneIn platform — TuneIn has for several years built a broad catalog of radio sports coverage. Continue Reading
Research firm Bridge Ratings released a new consumer survey of 2,200 consumers age 12-64 about why they do and don’t like AM/AM, and why they like streaming. There is a clear tilt to this work, as the report does not contain any queries or responses for what people might dislike about streaming. Continue Reading
Ten months after the initial partnership announcement, U.S.-based PodcastOne and Australian radio group Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) officially launched their co-branded venture in Sydney. An elaborate audio tour enlivened the event, which was hosted by SCA and PodcastOne CEOs. Continue Reading