YouTube may be facing a new legal challenge in Europe. The Vienna Commercial Court issued a preliminary decision that YouTube is responsible for preventing its users from uploading infringing content. The decision is not final, but it is maintained in the court’s final ruling, the result could have rippling consequences for the video platform. Continue Reading
Sonos has taken its ambitious next step into the smart speaker space with a new product that supports multiple voice assistants and changes the form factor. The Sonos Beam is a sound bar, a much larger device than the most popular tabletop smart speaker designs currently on the market, that’s capable of providing quality audio for a range of entertainment purposes in small- or medium-sized rooms. Continue Reading
In 2018 there is a fresh sense that programmatic audio is coming into an era of recognition and marketplace maturity. RAIN spoke with Scott Walker, Pandora’s SVP of Programmatic Sales, and Alexis van de Wyer, CEO of AdsWizz. The conversation touched on Google’s entry into programmatic audio, predictions of the future, and Pandora’s acquisition of AdsWizz.
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Spotify is reportedly offering advances to managers and indie artists as an incentive to consider direct licensing deals with the streaming service. Billboard reported that the company is offering up to several hundred thousand dollars in advances for managers that agree to license a particular number of tracks by indies directly to Spotify. On the platform, the managers and acts could then earn 50% of the revenue from those songs being streamed. Continue Reading
As an indication of how audio publishers are flowing into smart speaker distribution, tech company XAPPmedia announced it has enabled over 1,000 voice-enabled apps on the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant platforms. Continue Reading
Facebook has introduced a new feature that takes advantage of its many music licensing deals. Lip Sync Live lets users pick from a catalog of hundreds of songs to create a video where they pretend to sing along with the track. In addition, Facebook is also rolling out permissions for its users to include music in their personal videos. Continue Reading
Piracy isn’t always listeners’ first choice for how they consume entertainment, and pirates aren’t always averse to paying for content. That’s the top takeaway from new data by piracy specialist MUSO. Continue Reading
PwC has published its annual report of projections and predictions for the international media industry. The Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2018-2022 valued the music, radio, and podcast sector in the U.S. at $40.7 billion in 2017. The industry is projected to see a 4% compound annual growth rate to reach $49.5 billion in 2022. Continue Reading
Guest columnist Mark Ramsey overlays U.S. census data on podcast audience demographic data, reaching a startling conclusion and a broad strategy for growth. Continue Reading
The new YouTube Music app has been rolling out gradually through the vast population of Android users. How does the refreshed app look and feel? How effectively does it surface YouTube’s immensely deep catalog? Continue Reading
SoundMachine announced that its Business Premium powered by Napster music service has launched in the UK. The corporate-focused premium music service offers scheduling and management features from SoundMachine alongside Napster’s music programming and catalog. Continue Reading
Tencent Music Entertainment is planning for an IPO in the United States, and the move could mean a windfall for several big music companies. Stakeholders in the Tencent music branch include Sony/ATV Music Publishing, EMI Music Publishing, and Universal Music Group. Continue Reading