We’ve been hearing speculation for many months that Pandora and Sirius XM are interested in building a closer relationship. Sirius XM has been rumored to want to acquire the online audio company, but the two parties have been at odds over price. New information from the New York Post’s Claire Atkinson indicated that if Sirius does back away, Pandora might have another interested suitor. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio has reached the milestone of 1 million downloads in Canada. The audio company launched in Canada in October 2016 after inking a partnership with Bell Media at the start of the year. Continue Reading
Discovery has been a topic of great interest to the podcast creator and producer community, with top minds of the industry looking for better ways to get shows to the ears of excited listeners. Several companies and hosts are working on solutions to the problem, but some of the most promising answers have emerged from totally new startups. One such fresh endeavor is Audiosear.ch. Its discovery tools scale well to accommodate both new and veteran podcast listeners, and the initial trial of using it shows a tool with lots of promise. Continue Reading
This year’s WWDC announced Apple’s foray into WiFi speakers, bringing it into direct competition once again with Google and Amazon for control over music and audio in your home. The new device is called HomePod, and it will retail for $349. The initial launch is this December for the U.S., the UK, and Australia, with a broader global rollout next year. Continue Reading
Last week, audioBoom released the first results from a podcast listening study conducted in conjunction with Edison Research. Today, we have access to the full slideshow presentation for the study, which offer addition insight into the podcast audience. It covers listening platforms and places of choice. Continue Reading
7digital has signed on to power a high-resolution streaming music service. The new client is HDmusicStream, a service launched by the founders of HDtracks that will use MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) technology. Continue Reading
Universal Music Publishing Group has promoted JW Beekman to the role of worldwide CFO. Beekman joined UPMG in 2007. His previous position was senior vice president of North American finance. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s Future of Radio is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: A look at voice controls and the role they might play for radio and broadcasters. Much more from around the radio and audio businesses. Continue Reading
Pandora is updating its branded station ad product to incorporate select on-demand features and influencer curation. The audio company is hosting a campaign for Gatorade-owned brand Propel. It includes three branded stations, each attached to a fitness personality and focused on a particular genre. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Podcast preservation initiative at UW-Madison. Interviews about NPR shaping the direction of podcasting’s future. Continue Reading
Australia-based Audiocraft, which describes its mission as “a community for Australian radiomakers and podcasters,” announced the creation of a new division that offers project talent for professionals in the audio industry — mainly podcasters. The creation of this agency shines a bit of light on the Australian podcasting market on the creative side. Continue Reading
SACEM has secured a deal to administer the repertoire of Warner-Chappell with three online audio services. The multi-territory online licensing arrangement will see SACEM managing the label’s music on Deezer, Qobuz, and YouTube. France-based SACEM is a collection society for songwriters and composers. Continue Reading