Pandora 'Learned the Hard Way' It Needs to Be More Targeted, Says CFO

the company wants to invest in to increase revenue, he said. It “learned the hard way that we do need to be more intelligent and more targeted,” Chopra said. The company increased ad loads “substantially” late last year, producing a “negative impact” on user engagement, leading it to “dial back some of that insertion,” he said. The music streamer wants to determine the appropriate ad load “for any individual listener,” Chopra said. That could differ depending on platform, music or surroundings. Chopra repeated the company’s commitment to subscriptions, saying growth in Apple Music and Spotify shows “a large number of users want access to music on demand.” Broader growth initiatives include expanding content to podcasts, talk radio, news, weather and sports, said Chopra. “There’s a sizable portion of listening” in non-music-based terrestrial radio and digital, he said.