James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Radio – holding up well?

by James Cridland

A weekly column from the preeminent Radio Futurologist. THIS WEEK: James compiles the latest coronavirus-impacted listening figures from audio operations around the world, including national radio services, community broadcasters, and podcast companies. Continue Reading

Pod Drop is a podcast. Each episode delivers flash reviews of three new podcasts. It’s tightly produced with lots of excerpts, and fun to hear. Listen below, and scroll down for descriptions of the featured shows, and to subscribe! Listen… Continue Reading

1

Artist and consumer rights organizations petition Justice Department to block Liberty Media/iHeart deal

Liberty Media is a powerful force in music, with holdings in Sirius XM, Pandora, and Live Nation/Ticketmaster. After the Sirius XM and Pandora deal closed, the rumors turned next to Liberty having an interest in iHeartMedia. A group of consumer rights advocates and an artists’ rights organization have teamed up to send a letter to the Justice Department to oppose that possible acquisition. Continue Reading

Steve Goldstein: Why voice is much bigger than smart speakers

by Steve Goldstein
The Amplifi Media CEO sits down for a conversation with Bret Kinsella, founder and CEO of Voicebot.ai. The two discuss the outlook for voice tech, where radio fits in the picture, some of the the current common hurdles to adoption, and why the field is much more than just smart speakers. Continue Reading

Infinite Dial 2020: AM/FM is the most used in-car audio source for 50% of U.S. drivers

AM/FM radio continued to hold a marked lead for in-car listening in the Infinite Dial 2020. In the words of Triton Digital’s John Rosso: “AM/FM radio continues to dominate.” Although it remains the most-used audio source, growth is also happening for other formats behind the wheel. Continue Reading

Survey: Half of U.S. adults have tried a voice assistant behind the wheel

Voicebot.ai and Cerence released a report about the use of voice assistants in cars. According to the survey of 1,090 U.S. adults, more people are using voice assistants in cars than on smart speakers. Just over half (50.9%) of U.S. adults, or about 129.7 million people, have used any kind of voice assistant in their vehicles. Continue Reading