Audio Ink

Pandora has hired former Gap Executive Aimée Lapic as its new CMO. Lapic spent 13 years at The Gap where she served most recently as CMO for Banana Republic. Lapic replaces Nick Bartle who left earlier this year on the same day Founder Tim Westergren resigned. 

TechCrunch is reporting that Apple may announce as early as today that it is acquiring Shazam, the app that identifies songs by listening to an audio clip. TechCrunch reports it has a source that says the price tag for Shazam could be as high as $400 million. Shazam launched way back in 1999.

The streaming giant’s 200-plus channels are now available on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV (4th generation) via the SiriusXM app. With the SiriusXM app on AppleTV, SiriusXM trial or paid subscribers with streaming access have many new options.

On November 30, Dr. Ronald Hoffman’s Intelligent Medicine podcast logged its five millionth download. His nationally syndicated radio show continues to be one of the top health/medical radio programs in the country, airing on more than 120 stations.

SiriusXM is launching a new daily weeknight show and additional weekend shows, all airing on SiriusXM Patriot channel 125. Former White House Chief Strategist and Breitbart News Network Executive Chairman Steve Bannon will return as a regular host along with Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow on the conservative channel beginning December 5.

The podcast is called Endless Thread, and will be hosted by Ben Brock Johnson. Johnson and producer Amory Sivertson will guide listeners through the best stories from “the front page of the Internet” and bring them to life in audio form. Each episode will have a thematic approach.

It’s a spin-off! NPR is launching The Indicator from Planet Money, a new podcast that brings insight and context to the worlds of business and economics. The Indicator takes the signature Planet Money storytelling approach and delivers it faster, in shorter podcasts, more frequently.

The Southeastern Conference and SiriusXM announced Thursday that they will launch SiriusXM SEC Radio in early 2018. The 24/7 channel will offer live games, SEC-focused analysis, and call-in shows to fans nationwide.

Comcast and iHeartMedia have announced a partnership that will make iHeartRadio available on Xfinity X1, giving listeners access to more than 1,000 radio stations from across the country – directly on their TV – with custom artist radio stations, playlists, and podcasts.

David Oxenford breaks down exactly who will be paying more, and how much, perfectly in his latest blog. When the CRB set the rates for 2016 through 2020, it included increases based on increases in the Consumer Price Index. There was no increase in 2016, however the CRB has determined there was enough of an increase in the CPI in 2017 to warrant raising the rates in 2018.