Spotify is losing one of its most influential and successful curators. Tuma Basa, the company’s global programming head of hip-hop, has decided to depart the streaming service. Basa was a driving force behind Spotify’s RapCaviar playlist, which has almost 9 million followers and has become a live concert series. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio has announced several new podcasts on its roster. First is a collaboration with Variety for Playback with Kris Tapley. Second is Enrique Santos En Overtime. Finally, Tom Brokaw has relaunched his podcast Now Hear This on iHeartRadio. Continue Reading
CISAC has published a study investigating the economic impact of safe harbor provisions on the digital market. These legal provisions were originally intended to provide copyright liability protections for digital companies when their users committed infringements. However, the study argues that safe harbors are having the opposite effect and are creating an unfair advantage for user uploaded content companies. Continue Reading
Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research shares his insights on Spotify’s direct public offering to join the New York Stock Exchange. The action has been years in the making, but what does it mean for the future of the streaming company? Continue Reading
After many hints, signals, and seeming delays, Spotify has filed for a public listing on the New York Stock Exchange, for one-billion dollars. Spotify will trade on the NYSE as the ticker symbol SPOT. As expected, this is a “direct listing,” so there is no established share price. Public trading will start at a date to be set. Continue Reading
Cabana, the digital audio division for AdLarge, announced that the Parents on Demand Network is joining its roster of podcasts. Parents on Demand shows cover topics from pregnancy to adoption to parenting teens. Broadcast television journalist Sunny Gault launched the network after her first child was born, and worked with AdLarge as her ad sales partner. Continue Reading
Two big developments emerged today that could have a sweeping impact on India’s streaming music landscape. First, Amazon Prime Music has rolled out in India. Second, Tencent announced an investment round of $115 million in local streaming service Gaana. Continue Reading
Podtrac’s ranker of the top 20 podcasts in January has been released. The top slots remained mostly unchanged from the December 2017 chart, with This American Life continuing to hold court. The bottom half of the January chart had some shake-ups, with the ordering from the previous month scrambled and two new shows making the cut. Continue Reading
The IAB released new research examining consumption of media on a regular basis. The study, titled Personal Prime Time, included questions about how and why respondents chose to engage with that type of media. The section on podcasts reveals some useful demographic data and motivations for when people listen. Continue Reading
In yet another sign of the power of podcasts, Atlantic Records has announced plans to launch an in-house audio content branch. This team will include a dedicated podcast production team and a podcast studio at the label’s headquarters in New York City. The first creation of this new division debuts today. Continue Reading
Liberty Media, majority owner of Sirius XM and minority owner of Pandora, has offered a term sheet that would grant it ownership of a 40% stake in iHeartMedia for $1.159 billion. This move is an eleventh-hour deal in reaction to iHeartMedia’s difficult financial situation. It also isn’t the first time Liberty has broached a last-minute audio investment. Continue Reading
The Los Angeles Review of Books has launched a new channel called Podcast Review. The site includes both reviews of podcasts and interviews with podcasters. Only three interviews have been posted so far, but they promise compelling insights from the minds behind the audio. Continue Reading