Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the large commercial radio group in Australia, is making a splashy launch of LiSTNR, a new listening app that brings together the network’s radio content, news, music streaming channels (non-interactive), and podcasts. Click through for details. Continue Reading
Behemoth audio company iHeartMedia will buy leading digital audio technology provider Triton Digital from media juggernaut E.W.Scripps, exactly 28 months after Scripps acquired Triton. The deal further fortifies iHeart’s imposing array of audio production and monetization platforms across radio, streaming, and podcasting, while closing out Scripps’ short-lived deep dive into digital audio. History and perspective. Continue Reading
AdsWizz, a leading global technology provider for digital audio advertising solutions, has been certified by the IAB Tech Lab as Open Measurement Software Development Kit (OM SDK) compliant. If that makes your eyes cross, think of it as “audibility.” This is the first time an audio ad-tech provider has had their SDK (Software Development Kit) certified for this compliance, enabling “audibility” verification of audio ads. The purpose of this standard is to give audio advertisers authentication that their ads are heard. Continue Reading
Radio, webcast, and podcast streaming app TuneIn is announcing the appointments of four executive leadership roles and six new board members. The expansion of leadership and oversight follows a November investment from Innovation Endeavors. Click for names, bios, and pics. Continue Reading
New podcasts of note.
Unsolved Mysteries (Cadence13 and Cosgrove/Meurer Productions)
New York Gritty (Blue Desk Productions)
Tomorrow’s Monsters (iHeartRadio)
…and one returning show from Vox Media
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In a consumer research study conducted by Edison Research in October and released today, Pandora reveals key learnings about how the work-from-home (WFH) population listens to streaming audio, and whether it affects their concentration and productivity. Click through for details. Continue Reading
by Matt Deegan
Guest columnist Matt Deegan (Folder Media) delivers a cogent analysis of Clubhouse, the hot new audio app– or is it about audio at all? Matt identifies key attributes of the Clubhouse experience. Continue Reading
UK-centered media and technology company Global has activated its investment arm, Honeycomb Investments LTD, to acquire 8.8% of iHeartMedia, the largest American commercial radio group and top podcast publisher. Remembering that Liberty also owns a stake in iHM, we speculate a brewing battle of buyers, as listener reach and advertising pull are increasingly parts of a cross-category landscape. Continue Reading
NPR unleashed its Podcast Report Winter 2021. This interesting document is a combined growth report, best practices manifesto, and case study. Click through for details and a link to the free report. Continue Reading
In a venture to encourage kid-friendly podcasts, PRX has launched Ready To Learn, an accelerator program for producers who have the same goal. It’s a 16-week training course, and five production teams will be accepted. Winning teams get $10,000 plus travel expenses. Click through for details and the application website. Continue Reading
One of the world’s largest podcast hosts, Libsyn, has acquired the Auxbus podcast creation platform. The deal expands Libsyn’s suite of podcast hosting and measurement, adding tools for planning and recording shows. Auxbus has developed proprietary (patent-pending) tech that automates parts of the audio creation process. Continue Reading
MelodyVR will rename as Napster after acquiring the brand and assets last summer, and will list on the London Stock Exchange. This will be Napster’s fifth incarnation. As a branding asset, it is still trading on its revolutionary reputation, even though its revolutionary impact is an echo from the past. For anyone who has been following online audio for 25 years, there is a coherent historical line between the original Napster and today’s ecosystem of on-demand streaming music. Click through for details. Continue Reading