Apple hires terrestrial radio exec to helm iTunes Radio ad sales group

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Michael Pallad, formerly senior vice president of National & Network Sales at radio conglomerate Cumulus Media, has begun work at Apple as the head of iTunes Radio's international advertising sales force, according to a new report.

Michael Pallad


Pallad started work in Cupertino on Dec. 2 and will report to Todd Teresi, vice president of Apple's iAd unit, according to AdAge. Pallad is still listed by Cumulus as a member of the company's executive team, but his personal LinkedIn page has been updated to reflect the move.

According to his Cumulus profile, Pallad has been involved in radio sales since 2003 and left the company as the leader of "all sales operations for Cumulus Media Networks and the company's national sales platform." Cumulus is the nation's second-largest owner of AM and FM radio stations and operates large syndicated radio brands like ABC News Radio, CBS Sports Radio, the American Country Countdown that attract more than 150 million weekly listeners.

AdAge believes Pallad's hiring signals an expansion of Apple's ambitions for advertising on the nascent iTunes Radio platform, which already attracts top brands like Nissan and McDonald's with deals that cost a minimum of $1 million per year.

Adam Shlachter, a senior vice president with global marketing agency DigitasLBi, told the publication that the move "seems like a big bet for [Apple] on going after the radio advertising audience," and that Pallad's experience and industry connections "will only help to continue to make the case for [iTunes Radio] as a viable alternative" for advertising dollars.

Apple launched iTunes Radio alongside iOS 7 in September, and within its first month grew an audience of 20 million users who streamed more than 1 billion songs, though the service's "stickiness" has not yet been established. Despite being branded a "credible threat" by Pandora CFO Michael Herring, one study showed that less than 10 percent of those who used Apple's streaming service then abandoned the alternatives.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11

    Has anyone had an issue where iTunes Radio suddenly just stops after playing a few songs? Also, it seems to keep playing the same set of songs over and over (across days)?

  • Reply 2 of 11
    Personally, I tend toward podcasts more than streaming radio services these days. For music, I'll just stick with my own library of music.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    elrothelroth Posts: 1,201member
    Wow, this is really good news. Now we can get the same intelligent radio ads that normal radio stations offer. I enjoy them sooo much.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    Originally Posted by elroth View Post

    Wow, this is really good news. Now we can get the same intelligent radio ads that normal radio stations offer. I enjoy them sooo much.

     

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  • Reply 5 of 11
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    And- they own The Ticket in Dallas- greatest radio station of all time.

  • Reply 6 of 11
    Has anyone had an issue where iTunes Radio suddenly just stops after playing a few songs? Also, it seems to keep playing the same set of songs over and over (across days)?
    Yeah, everytime after a commercial it 'sticks', almost like a record player - I guess I'm showing my age.

    Anyways just skip forward and that fixes it (until the next commercial). I think this could be why people aren't fully embracing it yet.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by lostkiwi View Post



    Yeah, everytime after a commercial it 'sticks', almost like a record player - I guess I'm showing my age.



    Anyways just skip forward and that fixes it (until the next commercial). I think this could be why people aren't fully embracing it yet.

    I have the commercial-free version..... :\

  • Reply 8 of 11
    Here's why it didn't stick for me - the first station I created is a station for traditional celtic folk music - Chris Norman ensemble was the artist I selected to get the station started.

    Within 5 songs the station was playing Katie Perry, I kissed a girl. I have tried the station a few more times and I always end up switching to Pandora within a few minutes. Looking at my station history right now, for example: Beyonce - Put a ring on it follows Chris Norman Ensemble - in the Fields of Frost and Snow, and Taylor Swift is also on there. I hope it will improve over the next year or so but right now Pandora is definitely better for the stuff I like to listen to which is not what you get on the regular radio.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAYYYYYYYYYY… AT THE SENIORIAL DAY TENT EVENT SUPRA SALE! 

     

    ALL LEXUS CAMRYS, $499! BRAND NEW 1996 TOYOTA COMANCHE $16.47! FLOOR LAMPS, REUPHOLSTERING, CHEAP INSURAAAAAAAANCE!


     

    LMAOoooooooooo!

  • Reply 10 of 11
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Hangtown View Post



    Here's why it didn't stick for me - the first station I created is a station for traditional celtic folk music - Chris Norman ensemble was the artist I selected to get the station started.



    Within 5 songs the station was playing Katie Perry, I kissed a girl. I have tried the station a few more times and I always end up switching to Pandora within a few minutes. Looking at my station history right now, for example: Beyonce - Put a ring on it follows Chris Norman Ensemble - in the Fields of Frost and Snow, and Taylor Swift is also on there. I hope it will improve over the next year or so but right now Pandora is definitely better for the stuff I like to listen to which is not what you get on the regular radio.

     

    Aye! That wonderful Irish lass, Katy Perry.

     

    Katy Perry Irish tv Interview

  • Reply 11 of 11
    It does repeat the same songs every hour and suddenly stops, not always after an ad. If I wanted the same songs over and over, I would go back to FM. Pandora is still better in variety and no repeats. But I usually listen to my own library or XM, even in the house.
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