Stingray Radio President Steve Jones is positioning the company’s pending acquisition of live audio streaming app TuneIn as good news for the radio industry, both in Canada and abroad.
Announced after market close on Tuesday, Montreal-headquartered Stingray is poised to acquire TuneIn for up to $175 million USD. The app boasts over 75 million monthly active listeners worldwide, offering access to more than 100,000 radio stations, podcasts, music channels, news, sports, and audiobooks. Its content is distributed across more than 200 platforms and connected devices, including over 50 in-car audio systems, in over 100 countries.
“Having one of the world’s leading audio streaming companies owned by a Canadian company is inherently an economic positive,” Jones told Broadcast Dialogue. “But having it owned by a Canadian company that owns 100 radio stations is even more important. Stingray’s ownership of TuneIn brings a radio DNA to the organization that can help TuneIn and radio stations alike.”
Jones believes the acquisition offers opportunity to expand listener engagement with the medium.
“We can work with TuneIn to maximize the user experience so that listeners are enticed to engage more with radio. And we can work with radio stations around the world to make sure their presentation, content, and data are maximized on TuneIn,” said Jones. “TuneIn will continue to operate under its own brand and leadership team, allowing the platform to remain neutral. But with input from Stingray Radio and other broadcasters, we can grow the benefit for as many radio operators and listeners as possible.”
Subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, the acquisition is expected to close by year-end.
Stingray’s Q2 2026 earnings release on Tuesday saw revenues increase $19.7 million, or 21.0%, to $113.3 million, up from $93.6 million in the second quarter of 2025. Broadcasting and Commercial Music revenues increased $20.0 million, or 32.8%, to $80.9 million. Year-over-year growth was mainly driven by higher equipment sales related to the acquisition of karaoke consumer product provider, The Singing Machine, and greater FAST channel revenues.
Revenues in Canada rose $2.6 million, or 5.2%, to $51.5 million in Q2, mainly attributed to higher equipment and installation sales related to digital signage.
Radio revenues decreased $0.3 million or 0.9% in the second quarter to $32.4 million from $32.7 million in the same period of 2025. The decline was due to lower national airtime sales, mostly offset by higher digital revenues.
