Pandora to exit Australia and New Zealand on July 31

Following a statement issued to TIO last month which said Pandora would “wind down the service for listeners over the next few weeks” in Australia and New Zealand, the Internet radio group has given listeners an official date.

A spokesperson told AdNews today: “After analysis and consideration of external factors, we have decided to discontinue our operations in Australia and New Zealand and will shut down the service on July 31, 2017.

“While our experience in these markets reinforces the broader global opportunity long-term, in the short-term we must remain mindful and focused on the expansion of our core business in the United States.”

A shorter statement was sent to local listeners today. It said the app and website would be inaccessible after July 31 but that Pandora was “honoured to have connected so many listeners with the music they love these past few years.”

A spokesperson for Pandora issued a brief statement to TIO last month, it said: “While our experience in these markets reinforces the broader global opportunity long-term, in the short-term we must remain laser-focused on the expansion of our core business in the United States.”

Thomas Heymann, the local company’s local head of artist and music Industry relations, told TIO today: “Pandora is the best music discovery service on the planet. It is a sad day for our users, artists and our people. I will miss my Gary Clarke Jr. station. So many great memories.”

Pandora’s decision to bail on its business Down Under follows the announcement in March that Jane Huxley, managing director of Pandora Australia and NZ, would leave the affiliate she launched back in 2012.

Then in late June Recode reported Pandora’s CEO and co-founder Tim Westergren planned to step down from his role at the company.

On the shakeup of its senior leadership team and his own ouster, Westergren said:

“I came back to the CEO role last year to drive transformation across the business. We accomplished far more than we anticipated. We rebuilt Pandora’s relationships with the music industry; launched a fantastic Premium on-demand service, and brought a host of tech innovations to our advertising business. With these in place, plus a strengthened balance sheet, I believe Pandora is perfectly poised for its next chapter.”

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.