audioBoom

{{Short description|UK audio and podcast platform, created 2013}}

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{{notability|Companies|date=December 2015}}

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{{Infobox website

| name = AudioBoom

| type = On-Demand Audio & Podcasting Platform

| traded_as = AIM: BOOM{{cite web|url=http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=JE00B5NFKB77JEGBXASQ1|title=audioBoom Group PLC|access-date=2014-10-13|archive-date=2014-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019101738/http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=JE00B5NFKB77JEGBXASQ1|url-status=dead}}

| location = London, United Kingdom{{cite web|url=https://audioboom.com/about/us|title=About audioBoom}}

| locations = {{hlist|London|New York City|Melbourne|Mumbai}}

| area_served = Worldwide

| CEO = Stuart Last

| key_people = {{ubl|Brad Clarke|Jon Del Strother}}

| international =

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| url = {{URL|audioboom.com}}

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| language = English, Spanish

| launched = {{start date and years ago|2013|df=yes/no}}

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AudioBoom PLC is an on-demand audio and podcasting distribution platform. AudioBoom offers business-to-business services to the radio, media and podcast industries.

AudioBoom's platform has been used to power on-demand audio for businesses including BBC, The Spectator{{Cite web|url=https://audioboom.com/streams/4905579|title=Spectator Radio|website=audioboom.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-17}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Associated Press, NBC Sports, Yahoo!, Cumulus Media and Westwood One.

The company is based in London with offices in New York. It became AIM-listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2014 as Audioboom Group Limited (AIM: BOOM).

History

The company was founded in 2009 by Mark Rock, a former co-founder of PlayJam,{{cite web |title=Mark Rock, founder and CEO, audioboo.fm |url=https://www.theguardian.com/megas/mark-rock |website=The Guardian |access-date=15 December 2023 |date=19 October 2011}} as Audioboo Limited, with funding from 4iP, Channel 4's technology innovation fund. The initial product was a "social sound sharing platform", a free iPhone app and website that allowed users to share audio clips up to five minutes long. Early high-profile users included Stephen Fry, Chris Moyles, the British Library and The Guardian. The latter used it to cover the 2009 G20 London summit protests.{{cite web |title=MediaGuardian 100 2010 - 14. Mark Rock |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/19/mark-rock-mediaguardian-100-2010 |website=The Guardian |date=19 July 2010}} The platform was also used to share audio during the Arab Spring.{{cite web |last1=Halliday |first1=Josh |title=Mark Rock: 'Radio hasn't innovated for 60 years' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jun/06/mark-rock-audioboo-interview |website=The Guardian |date=6 June 2011}}

In October 2012, Rob Proctor replaced Rock as CEO, and Rock left the company on 1 May 2013.{{cite web |last1=Kiss |first1=Jemima |title=Mark Rock to quit Audioboo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/apr/10/mark-rock-audioboo |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 May 2023 |date=10 April 2013}} Proctor refocused the business on providing content from professional broadcasters, and Audioboo was renamed audioBoom.{{cite magazine |last=Collins |first=Barry |date=January 2015 |title=Profile: audioBoom |magazine=PC Pro |page=20 |publisher=Dennis Publishing }}

The main shareholders were UBC Media Group and Slovar Limited.{{cite web|url=https://www.marketscreener.com/UBC-MEDIA-GROUP-PLC-4003169/news/UBC-Media-Update-on-progress-of-investment-in-Audioboo-and-proposed-acquisition-of-7digital-18270093/|title=UBC Media : Update on progress of investment in Audioboo and proposed acquisition of 7digital|date=14 April 2014 }} In 2014 they sold their shares in a reverse takeover to the listed company One Delta plc., changing the name of the latter to Audioboom Group plc (AIM symbol BOOM).{{cite web|url=https://www2.trustnet.com/Investments/Article.aspx?id=201405011708351227G|title=Acquisition, Name Change and Notice of AGM}}{{cite web |last1=Sweney |first1=Mark |title=UBC merges with 7digital to create £30m multimedia group |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/20/ubc-merges-7digital-multimedia-group |website=The Guardian |access-date=2 May 2023 |date=20 May 2014}}

The AudioBoom mobile app was discontinued in May 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://support.audioboom.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012889213-Audioboom-To-Discontinue-Mobile-App-for-Recording-and-Podcast-Listening|title=Audioboom To Discontinue Mobile App for Recording and Podcast Listening|website=Audioboom|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-19}}

Features

AudioBoom provides hosting, publishing, distribution and monetization services for on-demand content. Key features include:

  • Unlimited audio hosting on branded content channels through a publisher dashboard
  • Automated distribution through partnerships with Apple Podcasts, CastBox, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeart, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn.{{Cite web|url=http://support.audioboom.com/hc/en-us/articles/360004424314|title=Distribution Overview|website=Audioboom|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-17}}
  • Embeddable media players
  • Advanced analytics and consumption data
  • Monetization through podcast sponsorships and a built-in ad network

Key users and partners

  • Russell Brand's podcast series, featuring Matt Morgan and resident poet Mr. Gee, launched exclusively on audioBoom in February 2015 and ended in May 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://audioboom.com/posts/3189619-the-final-episode|title=The Final Episode|website=Audioboom|language=en|access-date=2019-06-19}}
  • BBC Radio, including radios 2, 4 and 6, a number of local radio stations, and several World Service non-English language stations.{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1a813116-8960-11e1-bed0-00144feab49a.html|title=BBC gives the word to AudioBoo|work=Financial Times}}{{Subscription required}}
  • The Premier League joined in late 2013, hosting its podcast{{cite web|url=https://audioboo.fm/channel/premierleague|title=audioBoom / Premier League|publisher=|access-date=2014-01-08|archive-date=2014-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108173242/https://audioboo.fm/channel/premierleague|url-status=dead}} and promoting the use of audioBoom among Premier League clubs.
  • Stephen Fry[http://audioboo.fm/stephenfry Stephen Fry's audioBoom page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726162503/http://audioboo.fm/stephenfry |date=2010-07-26 }}. recorded a welcome message which was sent to all new users.

Alternatives

References