RAIN Notes: January 24

Jottings of note:

 

Loss

Longtime radio/audio executive Gary Krantz has died at age 65. The loss is grieved by those who knew and worked with him, as he is remembered for his accomplishments and person. He founded Krantz Media Group in 2008, and was its CEO. Krantz was also Managing Partner of the Podcast Radio startup. Those who knew him longest remember his 15-year stint as GM of MJI Broadcasting, which he helped to found. An EVP of Clear Channel for six years, he then moved to Air America Radio in 2005. Hemoved to Westwood One in 2006, as Chief Digital Media Officer. He started the Krantz Media Group in 2011. Detailed obituary HERE and a 2020 interview with E.B. Moss HERE.

 

A Lot of Newness

Programmatic audio advertising platform Instreamatic enters 2025 with a promise of new features. That’s different from a description of those features, which is absent from the promo. But the company does promise to expand into new markets with its new capabilities.

Our gleaning of the announcement we received makes us expect:

  • Expansion to new markets
  • Expansion into new industries
  • New tools which simplify campaign optimization

“This year, we’re introducing updates that will make Instreamatic’s platform more versatile and impactful. We’ll be rolling out new tools designed to simplify and further enhance campaign optimization, while also expanding into new industries to bring the power of dynamic creative advertising to more brands.”

 

Virtual Goods and Bads

“I liken that experience to drinking non-alcoholic beer.” That’s from a listener to an AI experiment — the new Virtually Parkinson Podcast hosted by an AI version of Sir Michael Parkinson — an interview with guest musician Jason Derulo. The conversation unfolds smoothly enough to be an impressive demonstration of a virtual personality, if not a testimonial for it. Post-interview, the producers discuss the process behind creating this AI-hosted experience, breaking down the goods and bads before deciding how to improve the AI model for the next guest.

January 24, 2025


Brad Hill