RAJAR STUDY CLAIMS NET RADIO LISTENERSHIP UP 2.5 MILLION SINCE NOVEMBER: RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research), the official radio audience measuring body in the UK, has released the results of a survey (here) which claims 14.5 million people have listened to Internet radio, a 2.5 million increase from November. The study also found an increase in podcast listenership, claiming that 6 million users have downloaded a podcast compared to 4.3 million six months ago. Interestingly, almost 40% of the 863 respondents said they now listen to more radio as a result of using podcasts (10% said they listened to less radio). 41 million said they listened to terrestrial radio once a week, compared to 3 million weekly Internet radio listeners.

RAJAR STUDY “SOMEWHAT SKEWED” SAYS JOURNALIST: Robert Andrews of PaidContent.co.uk smells something fishy in the results of RAJAR’s study on Internet radio. Andrews argues that most of the 863 participants in the RAJAR study “had already indicated they are online radio converts.” He also writes that the podcast-listener statistics may be flawed as well, as presumably only radio organization-produced podcasts were measured. “The study was somewhat skewed and is an attempt by RAJAR to show it’s modernizing, despite having ruled out electronic data gathering methods in favor of sticking with the humble diary entry until 2009.” Read Andrews’ full article here.

AUSTIN’S NAB RADIO SHOW TO DISCUSS DIGITAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES: The NAB Radio Show Session in Austin, set to take place on Thursday, September 18 at 10:30 a.m, will cover opportunities in new and digital media. The guest speakers — including CBS Radio’s David Goodman, ESPN’s Marc Horine, and Saga Communications’ Jeff Vettrus — will discuss how to correctly use new media to “enhance radio station brands and increase profitability.” The session is part of the NAB’s annual convention which take place September 17- 19. Read the NAB’s full press release here.

PANDORA WANTS OVERSEAS SERVICE RESTARTED, KEEPS ROYALTY ISSUE IN THE HEADLINES: Pandora founder Tim Westergren hopes a successful outcome in the U.S. webcast royalty dispute will become a “template” for similar debates overseas. Perhaps attempting to keep the webcast royalty debate in the press, Westergren spoke with vnunet.com about his desire to restart service outside the U.S., a cut made earlier this year after “frustrating” battles with record labels and European authorities over royalty rates. He reiterated that Pandora will not be able to survive, much less stream overseas, under the proposed CRB royalty rates. “The royalty rates are just not allowing internet radio to exist…There is no business to be had there.” Read the full article here.

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