iHeartRadio hosting station of Pope Francis and smooth jazz

Posted on by Anna Washenko

In one of the more unique partnerships we’ve seen, iHeartRadio announced that it will be airing a station that combines information about Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S. with smooth jazz music. POPE Info Radio will have updates on the religious leader’s time in the country – including event schedules, traffic and weather updates, and interviews with organizers and officials – mixed in after each song of the smooth jazz programming. Continue Reading →

Nielsen 360 Report finds big online audience, but little online spending

Posted on by Anna Washenko

Nielsen has released highlights for its 360 Music Report of 2015. One of the highlights of Nielsen reports are the breakdowns on music spending. For the total population, online music streaming services accounts for 7% of annual music spend, and 11% goes to digital tracks or albums. Cost was the top reason for listeners in selecting a streaming service, and it was part of the top two reasons for people to not subscribe. Finally, this year’s report found that AM/FM and satellite radio was the top discovery engine. Continue Reading →

Apple Music is adding brand curators and channels

Posted on by Anna Washenko

U.S. listeners have got their first taste of brand collaborations on Apple Music. The company has teamed up with fashion house Burberry for a focused channel on the streaming platform. According to the channel, Burberry will be highlighting the “Best of British” in music, featuring both fresh and familiar faces. You can find Burberry in the Curators section of the app. Continue Reading →

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Chicago getting sued for amusement tax on streaming entertainment services

Posted on by Anna Washenko

The city of Chicago ruffled some feathers earlier this year with the announcement of an amusement tax levied against online entertainment services. The tax would cover video and audio platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Hulu, and Xbox Live. However, the city has hit a snag in getting that tax off the ground. The Liberty Justice Center has filed a lawsuit in Illinois circuit court to challenge several aspects of the proposed tax. Continue Reading →

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Steve Goldstein: How Long Should Your Podcast Be?

Posted on by Steve Goldstein

by Steve Goldstein

Guest columnist Steve Goldstein takes at aim at overly-long podcasts, with an eye to average radio listening time. He also notes that podcasting is a commuter-friendly format, and that the average commute time is shorter than many podcasts. “The empirical evidence is overwhelming.” Continue Reading →