After lots of rumbles and rumors, a seismic change could be on the horizon for the major labels. Vivendi appears to be moving ahead with plans to sell up to a 50% stake in Universal Music Group by the end of 2019. If this sale does happen, it will cause a ripple effect across the music industry. Continue Reading
Spreaker is making a move into international podcast education. The company is hosting the Spreaker Podcast School in Milan, Italy, on March 21-24. The four-day intensive program will cover all the critical points in developing a successful podcast. Continue Reading
The Q4 2018 RAJAR results found that 48.4 million people, or 88% of the UK’s adult population, listened to their radio station of choice every week. The figure marked a second consecutive year of fourth-quarter decline in audience for radio, with 89.7% in Q4 2017 and 90.1% in Q4 2016. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends is a column by the Australia-based radio futurologist. THIS WEEK: Several big developments in audio, including in the UK with Bauer, and an international deal with Spotify’s double dose of podcast acquisitions. Continue Reading
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), a global trade and advocacy agency for digital media and marketing, is making a slew of announcements on the eve of its Annual Leadership Meeting this week. Key structural changes in the organization include over a dozen new board members, and the decision to include brands in the IAB membership. Continue Reading
Europe’s efforts for copyright law overhaul were controversial when they first progressed through Parliament, and the Copyright Directive measures have only become more contentious over time. Article 13 in particular could have far-reaching implications for not just copyright law, but the foundations of how people communicate and create on the Internet. Continue Reading
The audio industry is still adapting to the new landscape of podcasting after Spotify’s move to acquire both Gimlet Media and Anchor. We’ve heard outside opinions and analysis of the deal, but now there’s some information straight from the horse’s mouth. Gimlet co-founders Alex Blumberg and Matt Lieber sat down with Recode, fittingly on an episode of the podcast Recode Media With Peter Kafka, to discuss their motivations for selling, Spotify, and the future of their operation. Continue Reading
Billboard has released its annual Power 100 list, ranking some of the music industry’s most influential leaders. The major labels took several high-ranking spots, but the impact of streaming made its presence known on this chart. Continue Reading
Spotify is seeing its ad-supported revenue growing, and it wants to keep it that way. The company has updated its user guidelines with new language to prevent ad blockers, as well as bots and what it broadly calls “fradulent streaming activities.” Continue Reading
The news that Spotify is acquiring both Gimlet Media and Anchor turned the podcast world on its head. Podnews, the daily briefing of podcasting developments published by James Cridland, collected several of the industry’s reactions. Continue Reading
Companies are still pushing into podcasting at a fast and furious pace, and the latest new venture is coming to the field with an impressive bank. Himalaya is a podcast network launching in the U.S. this week with initial funding of $100 million. Continue Reading
Sonos is starting off the 2019 fiscal year with some strong numbers, with Q1 marking the speaker company’s most profitable to date. Despite the good performance, an executive departure has made the market skittish. Continue Reading