Times Radio, a new 24-hour news station created by Rupert Murdoch’s Wireless Group in collaboration with The Times news organization. We see a 24-hour schedule in this all-out BBC competitor, and archived shows (“catch-up”) for time-shifted listening. The website also promotes a slate of traditional, stand-alone podcasts. Continue Reading
In its first Latino Podcast Listener Report, Edison Research revealed a raft of statistics about a key American listening segment. Twenty-five percent of U.S. Latinos are monthly podcast listeners. Perhaps more important, 20% are weekly listeners, nearly matching the percentage of the total U.S. (13+) population. Continue Reading
In a press release from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Triton Digital is announcing a new partnership in its globe-spanning relationships. ADTIMA, the Vietnamese company which owns and operates the ZingMP3 online music platform, has selected Triton to monetize its ZingMP3 platform. Continue Reading
A new venture, Podation, is readying for launch. Podation provides “Pay Per Listen” monetization to podcasters. The idea here is to lure the long tail of podcasters away from automated podcast advertising as a business model. Instead, Podcation offers a way to carve out selected content that users pay to hear. Podation provides the presentation and transaction tools.
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If time seems to fly, consider this: A new five-year royalty period (2021-2025) for statutory payments from music streaming services to recorded music owners is approaching. The royalty period and the legal process which precedes it are nicknamed “Web V,” as it will be the fifth such royalty period regulated by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. There might be a delay. Two pieces of news have just been posted in a new Order from the CRB. Continue Reading
The British public broadcaster has rebranded its production division, formerly BBC Radio & Music Production, which relaunched today as BBC Audio. This is part of a widespread de-platforming of radio and broader reconceptualization as audio. Four people staff the new unit, headed by Clare McGinn, previously Head of Production for BBC Radio 4 in Bristol. McGinn is a career BBC’er. Continue Reading
This is the debut of Jeff Umbro’s weekly LinkedIn column, Podcast Perspective, in RAIN News. Jeff is the CEO of The Podglomerate podcast network. In this column, he reviews recent industry news, and interviews Chris Morrow, head of The Loud Speakers Podcast Network. Continue Reading
Podcast ad-rep firm True Native Media has hired a new VP of National Sponsorships, Laurel Earhart. Earhart comes from Entravision, where she was Senior Director of Sales. The hires come in what founder HeatherOsgood characterizes as an expansive growth period for her company and for podcasting. Continue Reading
There’s not reason why a smart speaker must comply with the traditional stand-alone, single-function design which has made voice assistants famous. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has crowdfunded its way to releasing the Xiao Ai mouse, a smart peripheral does performs all normal mouse-like duties, and is equipped with a microphone and speaker. And smarts. Continue Reading
E.W.Scripps, the media behemoth and parent company of Stitcher, is reported to be shopping the podcast company to potential buyers. Click through for a history of Scripps ownership, and how the Stitcher organization has changed during this time. Continue Reading
Triton Digital has released its latest 4-week U.S. Podcast Report, this one covering the May 11 through June 7 span. The Triton reports include two top 100 podcast rankers (one for show downloads, and one for show audience sizes), and… Continue Reading
Adding to piles of existing research on Covid-related listening shifts, eMarketer has today release a study of podcast listening during the shelter-at-home period. The short story: Reduction in 2020, recovery in 2021. But the actual amounts (minutes per day) are on the micro level. Continue Reading