Music sharing website Pandora has officially returned to Australia after a five-year battle with local rights agencies over royalty payments.
It's the first time the internet radio site has expanded out of the US since becoming tangled in licensing issues that prevented the company from entering new markets.
Founder Tim Westergren officially relaunched local operations at the Opera House in Sydney this week.
Former Fairfax News Digital boss Jane Huxley will take up the helm as managing director for Australia and New Zealand.
Westergren told SBS the expansion was made possible by the “progressive” view of licensing bodies in Australia and New Zealand.
“I think the rights organisations saw that it was definitely in the interests of artists to support and nurture these kinds of services,” he said.
“These are the only two countries in which Pandora is legal outside of the US.”
The move marks a rare win for the site, which has fought a decade-long battle to effectively monetise its radio streaming service.
It also faces the potential looming threat of Apple, rumoured to be shopping around with major record labels in advance of a similar online radio offering.
However, Westergren believes the strength of Pandora lies in the growing popularity of the platform from a user perspective.
“We've grown in the US to where we are without advertising. It's meeting a clear consumer need,” he said. “We're also providing new revenue streams and opportunities for artists.”
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