Starbucks, which has a long history as a music purveyor within its larger mission of caffeinating the world, today announced a partnership with on-demand music service Spotify. The alliance is trumpeted as a “First-of-its-kind music ecosystem.” Continue Reading
Global on-demand music service Deezer is announcing today the integration of Stitcher audio programs, following Deezer’s acquisition of the long-established podcast app in October. The integration mixes news, entertainment, and sports programs to Deezer’s 35-million-song music catalog. Continue Reading
The role and value of free listening to on-demand services (freemium) has been under scrutiny for months. Industry finances might support the logic of arguments that freemium should be limited. But is that strategy near-sighted? Continue Reading
Latest research released by Juniper Research projects that annual global advertising spend on mobile devices is expected to reach $105 billion by 2019, up from an estimated $51 billion this year. Advertisers, drawn to the personalized and timely targetability that advertising on mobile devices offers, will drive spending on those devices to 44 per cent of total digital ad spend by 2019. RAIN CEO Jennifer Lane suggests a reinvention. Continue Reading
France’s Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel, also known as the CSA, has announced that it plans to launch a public consultation about digital terrestrial radio by the end of May. This consultation is expected to decide which regions of the country should be the next to receive digital radio infrastructure. More than a dozen French cities are up for consideration, and the new digital stations are projected to go on-air by September 2016. Continue Reading
Audible made its name in the digital space selling subscriptions to audiobooks. Now, as podcasting’s star continues to rise, the Amazon-owned company appears to be shifting its focus to take advantage of the newest trend. Audible hired NPR’s top content developer to a new role as SVP of original content. Continue Reading
James Cridland Weekly Links is a column by the U.K.’s radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: VOX conference; interesting events and articles from around the world. Continue Reading
Money continues to flow into the burgeoning podcast category as Bonnier Growth Media, a Swedish investment firm, today announced closing a $5-million capital investment in Acast, and podcast and advertising network, also in Sweden. Continue Reading
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The weekly update of the streaming audio industry, from RAIN News. THIS WEEK: BMI wins lawsuit vs. Pandora; new streaming advertising report; Apple/Beats rumors; Rdio’s new plan Continue Reading
Digital Music News is reporting that Spotify may place some restrictions on its freemium listening tier. Unnamed sources have told that site that the free, ad-supported access could be limited to just three months under a new proposal. This is the type of change that labels and publishers have been pressuring the streaming service to make, and the leaders at Universal and Sony seem to be the driving force behind the rumored proposal. Continue Reading
Radiotopia received an investment of $1 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The podcast network will use the money to add to its portfolio of shows and to hire an executive producer. It is the second time that the Knight Foundation has contributed to Radiotopia’s development; it also gave $200,000 in February 2014. Continue Reading
Australia’s music industry is adding a new weekly chart to reflect the popularity of streams. The Australian Recording Industry Association will launch the Top 40 Audio & Visual Streaming Chart on Monday, May 18. It will incorporate plays from all official music videos on YouTube. Continue Reading