Guest columnist Doc Searls observes the thinning out of AM stations in the U.S., and FM stations abroad. Then, there’s the impact of the Internet. “This doesn’t mean radio is going away,” he explains. Continue Reading
The Financial Times reported over the weekend that Apple Music has reached 10 million subscribers, which represents impressive growth over six months. What does it indicate about the future audience growth for Apple Music? Guest columnist Bret Kinsella infers a churn rate from publicly disclosed retention numbers, and arrives at a prediction.
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In August, we shared a Wired article that questioned the narrow demographic group that has been dominating the growing podcast space, noting that the limited viewpoints could limit the format’s reach. New data from Quartz confirms that bias among the people sitting down behind the mic. Continue Reading
We already knew that vehicles with Apple CarPlay rolled out onto the road in the U.S. last year, but now the company has shared some specifics about exactly which models will be equipped with the tech. The list published on Apple’s CarPlay website lists more than 100 models that will support its system. Continue Reading
Patrick Hannon, president of WorldDAB, issued a statement on the outlook for digital radio in 2016. He pointed to continued development and adoption of the technology across Europe, as well as plans to make a big push into cars this year. Continue Reading
WKCR 89.9, the unique and distinctive radio station affiliated with Columbia University, suspended its online simulcast at the start of the year. Unique programming has earned the station a far-flung audience of listeners and financial supporters, who are voicing their distress on social media. Continue Reading
South Korean tech and mobile conglomerate Kakao has assumed ownership of MelOn, the country’s top streaming and downloaded music provider. Buying out the 76.4% stake in parent company Loen Entertainment for 1.87 trillion won (about $1.55 billion) adds an entertainment facet to Kakao’s diverse holdings. Continue Reading
Spotify has been hit with a second lawsuit in two weeks, again centered on licensing and royalties. The plaintiff is artist Melissa Ferrick, who said her songs have been streamed more than a million times without proper licensing. Continue Reading
James Cridland Weekly Links is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: New research about how listeners switch radio stations; what makes a good public speaker?; new DAB+ stations in The Netherlands; more. Continue Reading
Nielsen has released data reviewing 2015 for the Canadian music market. Total number of streams in the year exceeded 25.6 billion, with 7.8 billion of those from audio and a sweeping 17.8 billion for video. The results from Canada, especially in album performance, mark an interesting contrast to the big U.S. Nielsen report released last week. Continue Reading
SoundCloud has raised 300 million krona (about $35 million) in debt funding. A representative for the online audio platform confirmed the arrangement with investment firm Tennenbaum Capital Partners. Continue Reading
Apple Music has reportedly surpassed 10 million paying subscribers. Inside sources told Financial Times (paywall) that the new streaming platform reached the milestone after just six months on the market. Continue Reading