Oakland, Calif. - Pandora, a provider of personalized streaming radio, on Wednesday introduced a beta release of its new downloadable desktop application, which allows users to access its ad-supported service directly from their desktops. The application was built on Adobe's AIR platform, and will utilize graphic rather than audio ads.

Denver - Radio broadcaster Clear Channel (NYSE: CCU) is looking to add a personalized Web radio player to its station websites, and is in talks with Pandora, but no deal has yet been finalized, Billboard reports.

Las Vegas - Pandora, a service that lets users create personalized Internet radio stations based on their preferences, plans to close its U.K. service next week in light of high music royalty payments.

Washington - Large Internet radio purveyors AOL (NYSE: TWX), Yahoo (NASD: YHOO), RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK), Pandora and Live365 earlier this week sent a letter to key lawmakers in Washington, asking them to consider performance royalty parity for broadcast, satellite, cable and Internet radio. The letter was addressed to U.S. House Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), whose committees are currently re-evaluating the broadcast radio industry's royalty rate exemption.

San Antonio, Texas - AT&T (NYSE: T) on Thursday announced that it has launched a mobile version of the Pandora music discovery and personalized streaming radio service for its wireless subscribers.

Oakland, Calif. - Music discovery service Pandora on Tuesday introduced a number of new features, including social networking elements and a new series of Pandora-produced podcasts and videos. Included in Pandora Extras are "Now Playing," a feature that lists song and artist information, recommends similar songs and bands, and points to other Pandora users who are fans of the song; "Friends," which connects Pandora users and allows imports from Web mail address books; and a set of over 100 streaming music stations arranged by genre.

Washington - Facing significantly higher royalty rates, thousands of webcasters are planning to protest by shuttering their stations for a day next week.

Washington - Top executives at large webcasters Yahoo, RealNetworks, Live365 and Pandora on Thursday sent a letter to Congress, asking for additional focus on the results of a Copyright Royalty Board decision that raised rates webcasters must pay to stream music online.

Oakland, Calif. - Pandora, the personalized Web radio service, announced on Wednesday that its service is now available on cell phones to Sprint subscribers.

Oakland, Calif. - Pandora, an online radio service that automatically creates stations based on each user's particular musical tastes, has turned off access to non-U.S. residents, saying it does not have the necessary music licenses to offer its service in other territories.

Washington - The nonprofit AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) on Tuesday announced the launch of a music website where users can create their own customized online radio stations. The organization partnered with Pandora, a service that generates artist recommendations, to power the service, and solicited artists Patti LaBelle, Corinne Bailey Rae and Joss Stone to create Pandora-powered stations featuring their favorite artists. The site will also feature social networking elements, allowing visitors to post music reviews on blogs and discussion boards.