Pandora's music box on Sprint phones
SAN FRANCISCO--At an event here Tuesday night, Pandora Media unveiled an updated Web site and new partnerships that would make its streaming Internet radio service more mobile.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Pandora, the third-largest Internet radio service, with nearly 7 million registered users, according to founder Tim Westergren, said it teamed with Sprint to sell its music recommendation service over the company's cell phones. Pandora will cost $2.99 per month after a free 30-day trial on select Sprint phones.
It also struck a deal with digital-media player maker Sonos to stream music into the home wirelessly for $36 a year. And down the road, Westergren said the company will launch its service on a Wi-Fi-connected MP3 player.
Pandora needs to diversify and broaden its listener base in the face of a money crunch, especially in light of new government regulations that will raise royalty fees Webcasters must pay to record labels. Westergren said: "We write a big licensing check every month; it's expensive and takes a lot of advertising."
