8tracks moved closer to its Regulation A crowdfunded investment round today, when it opened the round to non-binding reservations. the company hopes to raise $10-million of the $33-million of interest that was expressed during months of testing. Continue Reading
PodcastOne announced that Amy Lewis Schacter has joined the company in the role of Vice President, East Coast Sales. Schachter will be stationed in New York. Schachter is making the leap from radio to podcasting after 20 years with CBS where, in 2013, she was named Digital Sales Person of the Year in 2013. Continue Reading
In an aggressive regulatory filing by Pandora’s largest shareholder, which includes an open letter to Pandora’s board chairman, a battle has erupted for the future of the world’s largest and most influential internet radio company. Continue Reading
YouTube has reportedly implemented a new approach to its digital supply chain that could help improve rights management. YouTube, the world’s largest distributor of music, has been criticized recently for its operating model which permits user uploads of tracks and albums, and responds in different ways to take-down requests from rights-holders. Continue Reading
Spotify has hired Francis Keeling as its new vice president, global head of licensing, effective June 1. Keeling joins the streaming service after a 14-year tenure at Universal Music Group. “Francis is one of the very best in the business,” said Stefan Blom, Spotify’s chief content officer. Continue Reading
Public radio WBAA in West Lafayette, Indiana, is discontinuing broadcasts of This American Life after the show entered into a deal with Pandora. In a brief blog post titled “Mission vs. Economics,” WBAA General Manager Mike Savage said that the decision to air This American Life on a paid subscription service was a key factor in the Indiana station’s decision. Continue Reading
ASCAP, one of the major performing rights organizations (PROs) representing songwriters, publishers, and composers, has reached the end of an investigation by the Department of Justice, settling matters for $1.75-million, while admitting no wrongdoing. It traces back to the Pandora rate-setting case. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web. today, two examples of radio put to innovative use. In one, families send audio postcards to relatives in prison, as a follow-up to a call-in radio show. In another, an international magazine gains new readers through an investment in streaming and podcasting. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Much ado about podcasting; BBC attacked right and left; how US and Canadian radio differ. Continue Reading
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which advocates for digital radio transmission and tracks its progress, has released Market Insights: Digital Radio 2016. The report summarizes policy, technology, highlight content offerings, and the roll-out progress across 21 regions. Continue Reading
Sponsored column
This guest column by Gonzalo Alonso, Managing Director of advertising solutions company Audio.Ad, shines light on recently completed research into how and when U.S. Hispanic consumers listen to digital audio. Continue Reading
Facebook is not a very musical service, and has never seemed to care about audio content. Now, though, a report emerges that the 1.5-billion-user social platform is working with Warner Music to test a new product called Slideshow. Continue Reading