Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web:
Billboard on Africa’s early streaming moves: International music streaming brands are mobilizing to make progress in African markets. Several of the major labels are getting involved, and multiple new services have launched across the continent. Billboard examined some of the players that are building footholds around Africa, but it notes that there isn’t a clear front-runner at this stage.
Radio + podcasts + promotion: Radio and podcasting have some similar roots, but the two audio forms have developed a complicated relationship in a digital world. The Sound Off Podcast explored how radio may be helping podcasts to grow and its continued power for promotion and getting out a message.
Why podcasts can’t rely on ads: Digital media consultant Bill Rosenblatt reacted to the recent IAB/PwC study of podcast ad revenue in a Forbes column. He opined that forms of crowdfunding, either through established systems such as Patreon or through listener tips, are likely a critical supplementary revenue stream for shows.
What a snore: Finally, in bizarre news, a woman tired of losing sleep over her husband’s snoring made a recording of him sawing logs, edited it into an 80s-inspired theme song, and uploaded it to streaming services. The track has already been streamed more than 30,000 times. What a world.