This week’s deal between Netflix and Comcast is an historic, first-of-its-kind arrangement between an Internet content company and an Internet access company. The second deal of its type will not be historic, but might be coming soon, according to Verizon’s CEO. Continue Reading
Edison Research and Triton Digital have scheduled the release of Infinite Dial 2014, for Wednesday, March 5. In a preliminary peek, Edison reports a few Internet listening statistics. Click through for a link to the registration page for getting the full report when released next week. Continue Reading
The five most-read articles of last week. Is the streaming-music business model fundamentally broken? (This was also our most-linked article.) iTunes Radio and Pandora: who is slaying whom? Lew Dickey (CEO, Cumulus) speaks out about streaming. Shazam starts a record label. More. Continue Reading
RAIN Enterprises announces more speakers at RAIN Summit West on April 6: Rick Ducey (BIA/Kelsey), Andy Lipset (Pandora), and Mark McCrery (Podtrac). RAIN Summit West will take place in Las Vegas, co-located with The NAB Show, on April 6. Special early registration rate is in effect. Continue Reading
In the latest RAIN Poll, we asked readers to vote their preference: lean back, or lean in? There was no majority opinion in the poll results. Forty-three percent of voters chose lean-back listening, against a 13% preference for leaning in. Another option was “Some of both.” Continue Reading
In a deal that can power the talking points of “net neutrality” detractors and advocates alike, video streamer Netflix announced “a mutually beneficial interconnection agreement” with cable giant Comcast. The deal is historic, with many dimensions. Continue Reading
In what appears to be a targeted competitive thrust, song-identification platform SoundHound announced an app update that connects more substantially to music subscription service Spotify. Competitive strategy against Shazam and its recently completed deal with Rdio? Continue Reading
RAIN Enterprises announces three speakers at RAIN Summit West on April 6 in Las Vegas: James Cridland, a self-described “Radio Futurologist,” Ted Cohen, Managing Partner of TAG Strategic, and attorney David Oxenford, partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer in Washington. Continue Reading
A streaming success story: Ron Pope’s tracks have been played 57-million times, and he has earned about $335,000 in Spotify royalties. In 2013, Spotify paid Ron Pope $200,000. He cites Spotify as his second-highest income source, after iTunes. His live shows are fourth on Pope’s income list. Continue Reading
Lean back, or lean in?
This week’s poll asks whether you prefer effortless listening, or the fun (and effort) of selecting your own music and playlists. Continue Reading
Nielsen Audio ratings for Milwaukee came out a couple of weeks ago, and the legendary WOKY (a/k/a “Fun-Lovin’ WOKY,” a/k/a “The Mighty 92”) was bringing up the rear with a .1 share. As I’ve written in this space before, one… Continue Reading
RAIN founder Kurt Hanson calculates how a legendary Milwaukee radio station could improve a surprisingly low Nielsen rating. What can you do with an underperforming AM signal nowadays? What’s the best use of heritage call letters? Is “live and local” a viable option? Continue Reading