2

Public radio coalition releases podcast measurement guidelines

The burgeoning podcast category is enjoying growing audience, investment, and revenue. At the same time, success and potential are compromised by confusion and disagreement about how to measure consumption and listening. Today sees the release of a proposed standard of podcast measurement, created by a working group of public radio station representatives, and intended to unify data collection and analysis of public radio’s on-demand audio. the long-term intent is to drive a technical measurement standard for all podcasting. Continue Reading

Jacobs Media survey reviews top trends among public radio listeners

Jacobs Media and the Public Radio Program Directors conducted the seventh edition of its annual survey to learn more about the preferences of public radio listeners. Among those respondents, public radio saw continued transitions to digital, with 19% of weekly usage happening on those channels. The survey also covered on-demand listening, mobile options, and sustaining memberships. Continue Reading

On the Move: Changes afoot at Shazam, Saga Communications, Rhode Island Public Radio, Rdio, and Google Play

On the Move tracks hires, promotions, and other notable personnel changes within the online audio industry. The latest changes are a departure at Shazam, a promotion at Saga Communications, a new hire at Rhode Island Public Radio, and a switch from Rdio to Google Play. Continue Reading

Test Drive: Public radio app VuHaus offers excellent discovery via mobile video

Public radio is often ambitious in its goals for curating and presenting great music, and the latest project to come out of the organization is a delightful response to recent trends favoring both mobile and video. Several venerable public radio stations have joined forces to power a new mobile app that focuses on recordings of live performances. VuHaus is free for both iOS and Android, and it’s definitely worth a look and a listen. Continue Reading

WBEZ receives $2 million Pritzker grant

Chicago Public Media’s WBEZ radio station received a grant of $2 million to finance its digital expansion. The money from the Pritzker Foundation is the largest donation the station has received, although WBEZ will need to raise a matching amount to receive the grant over three years. The influx of funding will help the station to double its existing digital staff, update its infrastructure, and produce new shows. Continue Reading

A venerable radio brand goes both ways

New York classical station WQXR started an experiment, launching an Internet-only offshoot called Q2 Music. The Q2 Music pureplay, which concentrates on less mainstream and more modern classical, averages over 82,000 stream sessions per month. RAIN spoke with Graham Parker, general manager of WQXR, about Q2 Music’s mission, programming, audience makeup, and affiliation with flagship WQXR and cousin WNYC. Continue Reading