Pandora Powers Revamped MSN Radio

MSN has re-launched its online radio service, backed by popular internet radio service, Pandora.com . MSN Radio now also has a music recommendation engine, which allows users to create custom radio stations and discover more artistes and songs, according to the users' taste in music. Moreover, users who have already signed up with Pandora's free internet radio, are now automatically on MSN Radio, along with the customized radio stations they created on Pandora.

This deal will give Pandora millions of new listeners, along with a branded platform. In turn, it may give MSN Radio a much-needed boost in online radio to rival No. 1 Clear Channel and No. 2 , Yahoo! Launchcast. An MSN representative reportedly said that the Pandora deal is designed to improve MSN Radio by replacing the old MSN Radio, as well as MSN's former premium radio service, while still allowing users to pay to get MSN Radio without ads.

Pandora was launched last November and already has 1.1 million monthly visitors, according to research firm ComScore. In contrast, MSN Radio's monthly visitors dropped 9 percent to 2.5 million from October 2005 to October 2006.

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