Voice-activated smart home speaker Google Home has started experimenting with what may or may not be an ad format. Owners of the device started hearing unprompted promotions for Disney’s upcoming live action version of Beauty and the Beast. Although Google then said the mentions weren’t intended as ads, will advertising be coming to these devices? Continue Reading
Thailand is slated to hear digital radio beginning in 2018. The country’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission said it plans to launch digital radio next year. Continue Reading
Vevo has unveiled a new feature for watching music videos with multiple people. The tool, dubbed Watch Party, sets up simultaneous viewing across multiple computers. Continue Reading
Webcast listening in January moved down less than one percent compared to the previous month, according to Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics monthly Top 20 Ranker, released today. Year-over-year listening to streams gained 12%. Continue Reading
RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani offered some insights about Apple and its music outlook in a note to investors. By his estimates, Apple Music contributes 10% of the tech giant’s services revenue, while iTunes is responsible for 22%. Continue Reading
Financial Times is the source of the latest Spotify speculation, reporting that the streaming service is close to final licensing deals with the major labels. The core of those arrangements, is that Spotify would pay a lower royalty fee to the labels, but in exchange would temporarily gate major album releases for paying customers. Continue Reading
Tech company XAPPmedia sent us the very interesting news that it has developed an Alexa “skill” for a distinct B100 radio experience through Echo and Dot connected speakers. B100 is a country music station in South Bend, Indiana, owned by Federated Media. Continue Reading
Podtrac released its February 2017 podcast publisher rankings. Last month registered a big change to the placements with the debut of The New York Times at No. 7. The journalism outfit’s eight active shows pulled in a U.S. unique monthly audience of 1.44 million. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia has unveiled SmartAudio, a digital data advertising product for broadcast radio. As part of building out its programmatic backbone, tools like SmartAudio will allow advertisers to better target their efforts to reach listeners. SmartAudio also takes advantage of the current surge in dynamic ad creative. Continue Reading
The RAIN Digital Audio Advertising Summit takes place in four weeks, on April 12 at the House of Blues in Chicago. One of many highlights will be Tom Webster (Vice President, Edison Research) and John Rosso (President of Market Development, Triton Digital), well-known as the hosts and presenters of The Infinite Dial Webinar, in a moderated discussion of the 2017 edition of that monumental consumer survey. Continue Reading
Podcast listenership is growing. But … faster, faster! That seems to be the impetus behind the #trypod movement, which admonishes listeners to publicize their favorite shows. Continue Reading
PRS for Music, the UK music licensing group, is marking the first year of its Member Anti-Piracy System. The program is designed to help manage unlicensed use of members’ repertoire in online services. Continue Reading