Abacast Announces Song Skipping in Live Radio Streams

Abacast, a provider of digital radio streaming and monetization software and services, announces song skipping in live radio streams, "bringing to market a feature that radio audiences have desired since the dawn of radio." Abacast's patent pending song-skipping technology, code-named "Hammer," enables listeners to skip songs that they don't want to hear when listening to live radio stations online. "If someone wants to skip a song when listening to live radio, up until now they would simply switch to a different station," says Jim Kott, SVP of Products and Marketing. "Abacast's live stream song skipping technology lengthens listening times and should grow audiences on stations that utilize it. Abacast plans to release detailed metrics regarding average listening time and audience growth shortly after the skip feature is released in Q2 2013." Live stream song skipping works on top of Abacast's patent pending Cloud Insertion and Personalized Live Radio technologies, according to Abacast. "When a listener chooses to skip a song that is currently being played, another song from the station's playlist will be played immediately and in its entirety for that listener. Hammer's individualized buffering and insertion functionality ensures that the rest of the stream, including songs, DJ's, and commercials, is played seamlessly and in its entirety as well." They also tells us that unique advertising opportunities will be available due to the listener being engaged with the player when choosing to skip songs. Federated Media will be the first to test the service. "We are excited to participate in the beta release of live stream song skipping," says James Derby, Chief Strategy Officer at Federated Media. "With consumers having more choices than ever today, we feel that song skipping will differentiate us from our competitors and more importantly provide our customers and clients a better listening experience."

Pandora Claims 8% of Radio Listening

Pandora claims its listenership continues to grow -- now to 8% of the total radio audience, up from 7.19% a month earlier, while still not offering any verifiable proof of its claims. They have, in the past, tried to explain how they compare varying data from several sources to come up with their claims regarding a share of total radio audience, but reliable direct measurements have yet to be offered. Still, if one believes Pandora's claims, its share of total audience has grown to 8.03% from 5.5% one year ago. Pandora also claims actual hours of listening in January 2013 were 1.39 billion, up from 952 million during the same period last year, and there were 65.6 million active listeners in January, up from 47.6 million a year earlier. The streaming music service notes that Arbitron says 92% of Americans tune in to traditional radio every week, although there's no direct claim that the other 8% listen to one or more of Pandora's many channels. Pandora says its figures (other than the alleged share of total radio audience) are generated from Triton’s Webcast Metrics, which tracks server data from online streams.

'Jim & Margery' Join Boston's WGBH-FM

Former Greater Media Talk WTKK-FM, Boston, morning hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan will return to the air at Boston's noncommercial Boston Public Radio WGBH-FM for a daily 12noon-2pm show, starting February 25. They were ousted from WTKK-FM when the station ended its News Talk format. Eagan is a Boston Herald columnist Margery Eagan and Braude is an NECN cable television personality. The “Jim & Margery” show aired for four years on WTKK-FM, but the two had been with the station for a total of 13 years. Their new WGBH-FM show will include regular contributors, among whom will be the current 12noon-2pm hosts Callie Crossley and Emily Rooney. WGBH posts on its website, "Jim Braude and Margery Eagan will begin co-hosting 89.7 WGBH’s Boston Public Radio beginning Monday, February 25. Braude and Eagan will lead two hours of local conversation that will continue to combine newsmaker interviews, conversation with experts, and listener call-ins." The online announcement also says, "Braude and Eagan will host a monthly Ask the Governor program on WGBH, a series they hosted in their former role at WTKK radio. 89.7 WGBH will make that monthly program available to any other Massachusetts station free of charge."

Missouri Radio PD/Host Fired for Falsely Claiming Military Service

Journal Broadcast Group CHR-Top40 "Power 96.5" KSPW-FM, Springfield, Missouri, Program Director and afternoon host Simon Nytes has been fired after it was discovered he had falsified claims of military service. Reports from Missouri say he met someone who uncovered his deception and went public with it. Nytes has since taken down his own Facebook page, and the station posted on its Facebook page, "We are disappointed that our employee misrepresented himself as someone who had served in the military. It is unacceptable behavior. Further, Journal Broadcast Group is committed to ethical relationships with our listeners, clients and community. Specifically regarding the unacceptable behavior, that employee has been terminated. Finally, we value and are grateful for the service of our military personnel across all branches, and have the utmost respect for the sacrifices made by so many of our military personnel and their families."

'Q92' Host Mo Returns From Suspension

CHR-Top40 "Q92" WDJQ-FM, Canton, Ohio, afternoon host Mo has returned from a suspension for comments which set off a furor when he mocked a caller who it was discovered has Down Syndrome. He says he met with the family of that caller, and "all is good." Having learned from the experience, he cautions other broadcasters, "Be very careful. The media is just dying to run away with these stories. I regret hurting the girl's feelings, but again want to reiterate that I did not know beforehand that she was DD. I did not knowingly bully a disabled girl." Last week, Mo issued an apology on-air and announced he was "accepting a suspension." The station had issued its own apology earlier. Mo offered his apology for making fun of the woman he thought was a prank caller, but turned out to be Kellie Baker, a woman with Down syndrome who accidentally called the station while trying to reach someone else.

American Comedy Network Closes

Some 30 years after launching, American Comedy Network is shutting down. ACN was started in 1984 by a group of former deejays as a syndication service that provided comedy material to radio stations. It has now been closed by owners Dial Global. In a Facebook post, GM/Creative Director Joel Graham thanks the radio comedy prep service’s customers in "A Final Note." He writes, "Today I feel a great sense of sadness as American Comedy Network closes the doors for good and we post our final DailyPrep. On behalf of the ACN staff - Darryl Knight, Mark Dahl and Mike Hand - I would like to offer you our sincerest gratitude for trusting ACN and making us part of your show. It has been a distinct pleasure knowing we played a small part in your success and we salute your mission to use every available resource to entertain your audience day in and day out. In the current industry climate that is a challenge and we wish you all the very best moving forward." Graham has much more to say. Read the full post here.

Triton Digital EVP Bill Freund to Exit

Triton Digital EVP of Digital Sales Bill Freund says he will exit the company after six and half years in the middle of this month. He plans to take a few months off to spend time with his family before seeking another opportunity in digital media. Freund joined Triton Media Group as EVP of Business Development in October 2006. Previously, he had been Western Region SVP of Sales for Metro Networks and Westwood One. A senior sales and marketing executive with 20 years of experience developing, building, and managing sales and marketing operations, Freund also served in numerous executive capacities within the Katz Media Group, including General Sales Manager of Banner, Amcast, and Sentry Radio. Freund says, "Triton is in great hands with Neal Schore, Mike Agovino and Dominick Milano and there are more great things to come from Triton soon. I am very grateful to have been an early part of the company."