Pandora continues to top the awareness of audio brands in the Infinite Dial 2018. The audio company had 85% awareness among the respondents. iHeartRadio rated second in awareness at 67%, followed by Spotify at 65%. Both Apple Music and Amazon Music clocked in with 60%. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia might file for bankruptcy as soon as this weekend, according to multiple reports, and Liberty Media disclosed that it has already acquired some of the debt that it wishes to. Liberty’s Q4 earnings call yesterday provided timely information. 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
“I’ve now been at Pandora for almost five months,” CEO Roger Lynch stated to open yesterday’s Q4 earnings call. It was the first earning summary for the still-new chief executive with a full quarter of leadership behind him. “Having had a chance to dig in, I’m even more excited about the opportunity.” Key finance metrics, and a focus on the subscription services. Continue Reading
In the December report of Triton Digital’s Webcast Metrics Top 20 Ranker, overall stream listening remained steady from the previous month. The three leaders — Pandora, Spotify, and iHeartRadio — each gained a single percentage in Average Active Sessions (Triton’s AAS metric). Spotify continued its chase of Pandora. Continue Reading
Today Pandora sent an announcement that observers have been waiting for: The leading internet radio platform has launched a private programmatic marketplace for its digital audio advertising inventory. “It’s clear the future of advertising is digital audio,” evangelizes John Trimble, Pandora’s Chief Revenue Officer. Continue Reading
Pandora Premium is now available as a web version to complement the existing mobile experience of the on-demand streaming service. When the paid option launched in March 2017, it was only available as a mobile app for iOS and Android platforms. Continue Reading
South By Southwest will return to Austin, Texas, next month. Several audio companies are looking to make their mark on the interdisciplinary conference. Pandora announced that it will host music performances at The Gatsby from March 13-15. Podcast platform Stitcher will also have a presence at SXSW. Continue Reading
When Pandora announced the Dynamic Audio ad product last February, the idea was to create a targeting technology that could personalize audio marketing to the listener to an unusually individual degree. The launch partner for that development venture was British ad company A Million Ads. Now, the two companies are starting to roll out the result of that work, on a testing basis with two advertisers. Continue Reading
In what Pandora calls a “redesign,” the company has announced a company reorganization that includes layoffs, a remapping of its key initiatives, and prioritization of its Atlanta office for growth even as its official HQ remains in Oakland. The staff reduction will affect 5% of Pandora’s workforce. At the same time, the company plans to hire for its new initiatives in the less expensive, talent-rich Atlanta market. Continue Reading
As the new Copyright Royalty Board rate ruling sinks in today, we look at how it might affect Pandora. Using the company’s 2017 Annual Report and financials from the most recent earnings report, it becomes clear that the new rates will not apply to most of Pandora’s royalty cost, and that the simple 44% CRB rate hike is actually more complicated … and lower. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Pandora exec on voice ads. Why Latin music is having a moment. Playlists for (adoptable) puppies. Continue Reading