AudioBoom
UK audio and podcast platform, created 2013
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AudioBoom PLC is an on-demand audio and podcasting distribution platform. AudioBoom offers business-to-business services to the radio, media and podcast industries.
 | |
Type of site | On-Demand Audio & Podcasting Platform |
|---|---|
| Available in | English, Spanish |
| Traded as | AIM: BOOM[1] |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom[2] |
| No. of locations | |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| CEO | Stuart Last |
| Key people |
|
| URL | audioboom |
| Launched | 2013 |
AudioBoom's platform has been used to power on-demand audio for businesses including BBC, The Spectator[3] 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,[4] as Audioboom Limited, with funding from 4iP, Channel 4's technology innovation fund. The original name was Audioboo.fm.[5]
The initial product was a "social sound sharing platform", a free iPhone app and a 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.[6] The platform was also used to share audio during the Arab Spring.[7]
In October 2012, Rob Proctor replaced Rock as CEO, and Rock left the company on 1 May 2013.[8] Proctor refocused the business on providing content from professional broadcasters, and Audioboo was renamed audioBoom.[9]
The main shareholders were UBC Media Group and Slovar Limited.[10] 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).[11][12]
The AudioBoom mobile app was discontinued in May 2019.[13]
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.[14]
- 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.[15]
- BBC Radio, including radios 2, 4 and 6, a number of local radio stations, and several World Service non-English language stations.[16]
- The Premier League joined in late 2013, hosting its podcast[17] and promoting the use of AudioBoom among Premier League clubs.
- Stephen Fry[18] recorded a welcome message which was sent to all new users.