TuneIn announced an effort to connect its listeners with live music events. The audio company is planning to launch stations focused on different music festivals. The stations for each of these events will feature music from artists slated to perform at those festivals. Continue Reading
Podcast company Whooshkaa announced that it now offers text-to-voice service for its clients. This technology to turn written speech into spoken dialogue from Amazon is called Polly. The service offers several different voices and languages, however Whooshkaa’s press release highlighted the Nicole and Russell voices, both of which have Australian accents. Continue Reading
With its latest deal, Tencent has secured digital distribution in China for all three major labels. As a result, Universal Music Group’s catalog will be distributed by Tencent Music Entertainment Group in China on the conglomerates QQ Music, KuGou, and Kuwo streaming services. Continue Reading
Independent label network Merlin has entered into a multi-year deal with audio company MQA (Master Quality Authenticated). MQA’s technology improves the playback for 24-bit music files, promising audio quality better than CDs. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Warner Music Nashville streaming promotion; Germany moves to make FM-only radio receivers illegal; Spotify valuation still growing. Continue Reading
The saga of Guvera appears to have drawn to a close, as the music service announced that it has ceased all operations. Co-founder Claes Loberg has also stepped down as a director, as did major backer Steve Porch. Continue Reading
Cumulus Media-owned Westwood One has partnered with iHeartMedia-owned Katz Expressway, a programmatic advertising exchange powered by tech company Jelli. The immediate result is that radio stations in major Cumulus market have some commercial inventory in Expressway, available for automated buying. Continue Reading
SoundExchange has acquired CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency). CMRRA licenses mechanical and reproduction rights for streaming platforms, physical formats, satellite radio, and analog broadcasting. This purchase marks SoundExchange’s first move into publishing rights. Continue Reading
NPR has unveiled its lineup of six new podcasts to debut over the summer. “We are expanding the range of our programming by giving a platform to new voices, sharing a fun new side of favorite contributors, and doubling down on immersive stories and journalism,” Vice President for Programming and Audience Development Anya Grundmann said. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Germany moves to make sale of FM-only radios illegal. More on Pandora’s latest results and industry role. Much more. Continue Reading
NextRadio was introduced in August, 2013, as a tuner for SmartPhones to receive over-the-air radio reception with enhanced on-screen interactivity. In the nearly four years of NextRadio promotion, Emmis has faced challenges. In this week’s earnings call, Emmis head Jeff Smulyan put NextRadio prominently in the discussion, and framed it as an early-stage product undergoing growth and improvement. Continue Reading
After sparking a storm of speculation earlier this year, Spotify may indeed be moving forward with its plan for and IPO-less IPO. The streaming company has reportedly hired Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Allen & Co to advise it on pursuing a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Continue Reading