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
The head of Britain’s Radio 1, George Ergatoudis, announced that U.K. top-40 music charts will “soon” include streaming data. The range of services to be measured, and how the streaming consumption will be weighted alongside song purchases, is not disclosed. Continue Reading
Edison Research presented its new study, #MeetTheMillennials, at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville yesterday. The surveys and interviews assessed how Millennials listen to music at home, at work, and in their cars. What role does FM play, in an increasingly Internet-delivered world? Continue Reading
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has indicated that it will re-start its effort to establish a “net neutrality” law that would regulate how the Internet’s broadband pipes are owned and managed. This will be FCC’s third try. In January, the agency lost a court decision, largely on a technicality. Continue Reading
Last December, after three months in the market, NextRadio had 83,000 phone activations; today that number is 175,000. The retention rate, which measures multiple uses within a 30-day period (similar to “active listeners” in streaming services), is holding steady at 32 percent across the time period. Continue Reading
Billing itself as “The Internet’s Premiere Jazz Station,” Blue Plate Radio plays a mix of straight-ahead and smooth-tinged jazz. More than just a globally-distributed playlist stream, Blue Plate assumes a role as gatekeeper of the local jazz scene in New Haven, CT, and promoter of artists performing in the area. Continue Reading