Dash Radio has launched from its beta testing and is now operating live on the web and on mobile. The online radio platform has received $2 million of seed funding and already has a suite of 60 channels. It is available with apps on both iOS and Android. Continue Reading
SoundCloud has signed an agreement with Merlin that will enable the independent agency’s more than 20,000 labels and distributors to earn money on the platform. The people represented by Merlin will be able to earn royalties from the On SoundCloud advertising program and they will reportedly have involvement in the streaming platform’s upcoming subscription service as well. Terms of the partnership have not been disclosed. Continue Reading
In a highly engaged webinar yesterday, RAIN News and WideOrbit presented a RAIN Report webinar to hundreds of industry professionals on programmatic advertising for digital audio, called Programmatic Fast-Tracks Revenue Growth for Digital Audio. Click through for coverage and the webnar video. Continue Reading
Pandora is now legally free to acquire KXMZ, a South Dakota radio station. the FCC has ruled against a petition to deny Pandora’s application, saying that ASCAP failed to establish its case. Continue Reading
Pricewaterhouse Coopers released a report about the global entertainment and media markets. The research covered both the radio and music market segments. The report found that radio had total revenue of $20.67 billion in 2014. On the other hand, the music industry was valued at $15.06 in 2014 and total recorded music revenue was $6.01 billion. Continue Reading
Research company MusicWatch publicly released data points from its Annual Music Study, measuring relative popularity among leading streaming music outlets YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, VEVO, and iTunes Radio. The timing anticipates Apple’s expected announcement of its new on-demand music platform. Continue Reading
L.A. Reid may be making a bid for shares of Rhapsody. The chairman and CEO of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is allegedly working with a private equity investment group to purchase a large share of the streaming platform. Continue Reading
DGital Media, which launched its nascent podcast network last week, has moved quickly to bolster its monetization capacity and executive leadership. WYD Media, an ad sales organization that specializes in spoken-word audio brands, will be folded into DGital. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: YouTube’s Kyncl says all’s well with Music Key; who could Apple buy next?; Potential Sony class action following contract leak. Continue Reading
For most of their lives, sound recognition apps SoundHound and Shazam have been playing tag with each other. But recently, we’re starting to see each company carve out a more unique niche. Today SoundHound introduced a new personal assistant. The program is called Hound, and it will be a direct competitor to Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, or Google Now. Continue Reading