Back in April, following a series of personnel cutbacks that preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, iHeartMedia revealed that it planned to trim $250 million in costs this year. Now, the company has parted with several additional employees across multiple radio markets as part of this far-reaching undertaking. iHeartMedia recently informed the affected team members of the […]
Tag: Traditional Radio
Independent Broadcasters Slam Nielsen’s ‘Outdated System of Ratings Gathering’
Photo Credit: Eric Nopanen The Independent Broadcasters Association (IBA) has slammed Nielsen’s “outdated system of ratings gathering” ahead of the “Subscriber First” policy’s 2021 rollout – besides indicating that it’s “in conversations” with Bellevue, Washington’s Eastlan Ratings to design a digital-ratings tool. Nielsen Audio higher-ups introduced the controversial “Subscriber First” pivot last week. In brief, […]
Just 10% of Broadcast Radio Stations Are Streamed by Listeners
Photo Credit: Christian Lue Only 10 percent of radio listeners age 13 and up stream broadcast radio stations, according to a new study. In turn, approximately 90 percent of listeners still access broadcast radio stations over the air. (This also marks the first time that radio streamers’ share of total listeners has touched the double […]
Traditional AM/FM Radio Is Growing During COVID-19 Quarantines
(photo: Eric Nopanen) With government-issued stay-at-home orders and non-essential business closures continuing to affect schedules across the United States and the world, many are turning from music streaming services to video platforms like Netflix and Hulu. However, a newly published study found that AM/FM radio, for its part, is growing amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. […]
Is the Music Industry Working With Incomplete Data? WARM Says the Radio Picture Is Glaringly Absent
photo: Atik Sulianami Back in 2015, WARM founder & CEO Jesper Skibsby managed Few Wolves, a two-piece Danish act. Under Skibsby’s direction, Few Wolves signed a contract with a major record label and released two singles: “Smile” and “Never Know,” both of which, admittedly, didn’t live up to commercial expectations. In the wake of this […]
Howard Stern Returns to the Air From His At-Home ‘Bunker’
Photo Credit: Bill Norton / CC by 2.0 Howard Stern is back on the air from his home bunker after his SiriusXM show went dark last week. The coronavirus outbreak closed SiriusXM offices, bringing down the radio host with it. His wife, Beth Stern, teased the shock jockeys return to the airwaves over the weekend. […]
SAG-AFTRA Doubles Down on Efforts to Secure Union Contracts for Spanish Broadcasting System Employees
SAG-AFTRA is upping the ante in its multiyear quest for a contract with the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), a large owner and operator of Hispanic radio stations (namely La Raza and Mega) in the United States and Puerto Rico. Yesterday, about 200 members and employees of SAG-AFTRA, which is part of the AFL–CIO, wore shirts […]
BBC Radio 1 Ratings Hit an All-Time Low — 585,000 Listeners Left In 2019
In the final quarter of 2019, BBC Radio 1’s listenership dipped below 9 million for the very first time, according to newly reported figures. About 8.97 million weekly listeners tuned into Radio 1 during 2019’s last three months; that figure is down six or so percent (a loss of approximately 585,000 listeners) on the year. […]
Radio-Tracking Platform WARM Raises $1.37MM — Sony a Big Backer
World Airplay Radio Monitor (WARM), a radio-tracking platform, has raised about $1.37 million (€1.25 million) in seed funding after taking part in an event held by the Sony Startup Acceleration Program Europe. The sum was contributed both by existing investors and by Sony, and it far exceeded the $1.09 million (€1M) that WARM CEO Jesper […]
BMI Settles Their Rate Dispute With Major Radio Broadcasters — Irving Azoff’s War Continues
BMI and the RMLC have finally settled their pricing dispute; new deal covers 2017-2021. Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), one of the leading US-based performing rights organizations, has settled a long-running pricing disagreement with the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC), which represents roughly 10,000 commercial radio stations in America. The multi-year deal will be in place […]