Jottings of note:
Incoming CEO
The Podcast Exchange (TPX) is announcing today new leadership: Industry veteran Pary Bell, has been appointed CEO. Bell brings two decades of leadership experience, most recently as CEO of Eyereturn Marketing for two and a half years. He has served executive roles at Torstar Corporation, Future of Sport Lab, and Rogers Sports & Media. His tenure at Torstar Corporation saw him spearheading a digital-first transition, resulting in substantial increases in digital revenue. At Rogers Sports & Media, Pary was instrumental in developing digital strategies that enhanced brand reach and revenue. “This role presents an exciting opportunity to leverage my digital media leadership experience to deepen our impact in the industry,” Bell said. TPX hints at more announcements to come, both both in staffing and product.
Split Personality
“Hey Google. I mean, Alexa. Actually, either one of you.” Audio hardware maker JBL offers both assistants in one ($540) unit. Called the Authentics 300, it can address both systems. According to a review in The Verge, it all works well … though we’d enjoy hearing the two AI personalities get into factual arguments. Unlike other smart speakers, the JBL device doesn’t recognize Spotify or Apple Music … rather a killer drawback in our opinion. Read more HERE.
At Last
We learn from Inside Radio that Nielsen is making “sweeping methodological changes” to its diary-based ratings service which establishes the reach of radio stations. The changes will affect how participants are chosen for diaries, and how they record their listening. The top headline is that the diary recording system will migrate from paper & pencil to electronic and mobile formats. Read details HERE.
February 20, 2024
