Winamp's not dead after all, online radio firm acquires it

Winamp fans, rejoice! Your favorite media player isn't dead after all, though it will be under new management.

 

The media player software maker was acquired by Internet radio company Radionomy, said it has acquired Winamp and Internet radio platform Shoutcast from AOL.

 

"The acquisition will give Radionomy exposure to a much larger audience and pave the way for offering Radionomy listeners an enhanced experience," Radionomy said.

 

It said Winamp lets users "listen to, watch and manage music, video, podcasts and internet radio on desktop and mobile devices, while customizing the experience to personal tastes."

 

Alexandre Saboundjian, CEO of Radionomy Group, said Winamp is a "top independent player that gives millions of people the best player functionality available."

 

"Its role is clear in the future evolution of online media – we plan to make the player ubiquitous, developing new functionalities dedicated to desktop, mobile, car systems, connected devices and all other platforms," he said.

 

Radionomy, a free global service that lets enthusiasts create their own online radio stations, noted Winamp now offers:

 

- Access to more than 60,000 internet radio stations

- Playback for 60 audio and video formats

- 6,000 add-ons, including skins, plug-ins, online services and visualizations

- Availability in 16 languages

- Tools for managing podcast subscriptions

 

"Winamp and Shoutcast are great brands with significant value in the right situation, which Radionomy will provide. This is a very positive outcome for the enthusiastic users of these products," said Susan Lyne, CEO of AOL's Brand Group.

 

A separate report on The Verge noted Winamp gained popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but was to be shut down on December 21 last year.

 

"The confirmation comes after Winamp forum users spotted that the DNS entries for winamp.com had been switched to Radionomy’s own servers last month. Radionomy launched in late 2012 as a free service to generate online radio stations. It has around 6,000 user-programmed radio stations with 13 million unique listeners," The Verge said.  — ELR, GMA News