BY DANIEL MCSWAIN Internet ratings service Webcast Metrics has released its "Internet Radio Top 20" rankings for August, with most of its subscribing webcasters showing signficant month-over-month AQH gains in the key Mon-Fri 6A-8P daypart. According to Webcast Metrics, "The leading stations in their rankings increased listenership by almost 15% in August from July's numbers. The reports show an increase in both unique listeners and the average listeners listening concurrently for almost all of the reporting stations during the month." The "Average Quarter Hour" estimate, or AQH, is defined as the estimated average number of persons tuned to a channel for at least five minutes during a 15 minute period. It can more simply be understood as "the number of people listening to a station at the average moment." Cumulative listeners, or "cume," is the non-duplicated number of different people tuning in at least once (for at least five minutes) during the time period in question.

From MediaPost.com: "The Internet has surpassed radio as the preferred medium for music among youth in all countries, according to a study of 13- to-24-year-olds in 11 countries to be released today by Yahoo! and OMD Worldwide. "While the preference is more pronounced in other countries, 47 percent of young U.S. consumers prefer the Internet for music, compared to 27 percent who prefer radio. "Internet companies that have invested heavily in music--including America Online, Yahoo!, and Intermix's MySpace--should be happy to learn that 'music is possibly the single greatest mechanism by which youth facilitate their three needs,' according to the report, which specifies those needs as community, self-expression, and personalization. "The study, 'Truly, Madly, Deeply Engaged: Global Youth, Media and Technology,' based on research conducted earlier this summer, found a remarkable degree of multitasking among today's youth. Globally, the generation dubbed 'My Media' by OMD and Yahoo! finds itself faced with more tasks than time to accomplish them on a daily basis, and as a result, has become highly adept at multitasking and "media meshing." Read the full story at MediaPost.com.

BY PAUL MALONEY Internet ratings service Webcast Metrics has released its listening rankings for July, this month introducing a "workday" daypart breakout for stations. It's typically understood in the industry that the bulk of online radio listening occurs at the workplace during customary work hours, where high-speed connections and long hours in front of computers provide ample listening opportunity. The new Webcast Metrics chart ranks online networks by AQH and cume for the Monday through Friday work week between the hours of 6a and 8p Eastern Time. Multi-format outlets Big R Radio and GotRadio, and Hits format WolfFM showed significant gains over June. The combined stations represented by the Net Radio Sales Network had a July M-Su 6a-12M AQH of 68,034 (down from 76,250 in June). Its M-F 6a-8p AQH was 89,277. "Internet radio is a great way to reach a condensed, at work audience,” commented Jordan Mendell, CTO of Ando Media, which produces Webcast Metrics. “Networks such as the Net Radio Sales Network show an average quarter hour increase of 31% when the daypart is narrowed to reflect the at-work daypart.”

The "average quarter hour" estimate, or AQH, is defined as the estimated average number of persons tuned to a channel for at least five minutes during a 15 minute period. It can be understood as "the number of people listening to a station at a specific moment." Cumulative listeners, or "cume," is the non-duplicated number of different people tuning in during the daypart.
 

From ZDNet News: "In an apparent sign that podcasting has won the confidence of the market, three venture capital firms have come forward to back a start-up focused on the technology.

"Privately held PodShow has received $8.85 million in strategic investments from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sequoia Capital and Sherpalo Ventures, the company said Tuesday.

"PodShow, founded last year by former MTV video jockey Adam Curry and Ron Bloom, produces content and provides podcasters with the tools and systems to create, distribute and market their programs...

"PodShow, named after Curry's show on Sirius satellite radio, also manages a network of podcasters and operates a podcast directory. PodShow said it will use the new funds to develop and support the content, tools and technologies at the heart of the medium."