»
Clear Channel Radio and Katz Media Group are forming an online radio network that the companies say has “the broadest reach and most diverse content of any online audio network.”
Called the Katz Online Network, it is the first to incorporate independent internet radio stations with the online and mobile streams of leading AM, FM stations and popular syndicated content, the companies say.
The Katz Online Network delivers 79 million sessions per month and a unique audience of nearly five million listeners per week.
Advertisers can include audio spots within streams or combine pre-roll audio or video, and display or video ads, as well as synchronized banners on online media players.
Online radio listenership as a whole continues to grow rapidly, and now reaches 33 million Americans each week, according to Arbitron and Edison Media Research – up from 29 million listeners last year.
The network includes AM and FM station streams from Clear Channel Radio, Cumulus, Cox Radio, Emmis Communications, Entercom, Greater Media, Journal Broadcast Group, Nassau Broadcasting, Salem Broadcasting, Saga and Bonneville, along with popular syndicated content from Air America. On the pure-play internet side, the network includes Energy Group Radio, Club 977, Accuradio, Digitally Imported, Fine Tune, Radioio, and SmoothJazz.com.
The Katz Online Network will be sold by a group of digital audio specialists within Katz 360 Sales, Clear Channel Online Music & Radio and Premiere Radio Networks.
Online radio has sizzled with announcements of initiatives meant to boost its appeal. Earlier this month, TargetSpot - an online radio ad service developed by CBS Radio and venture capitalists - signed about a number of new partners, including inTune.fm, a popular audio application on Facebook, Pamal Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting, Riviera Broadcast Group, CD101, RadioIO, MaxMedia, New Media Broadcasters, CBM Broadcasting and Mediaguide, writes MediaPost.
In June, CBS Radio’s online business merged with AOL Radio, with all programming from CBS’s 150 stations being available to users of AOL’s service and vice versa. The new AOL player is now being powered by CBS Radio, and CBS has taken on all ad sales for AOL.
Triton Media Group is continuing to strengthen its online radio capabilities - which are focused on developing web strategies for radio broadcasters - with its acquisition of Radio Companion, a company that creates web applications and online tools for radio stations.
Last week, Triton acquired Jones Media Group and Jones Media America. In November 2007, the company acquired Excelsior Radio Networks, which provides partner stations with web content and software tools.
Emmis Communications is engaged in similar digital activities, having announced that it is launching a new company, Emmis Interactive, that will help radio broadcasters create and expand their web operations.
Despite such activity, the contribution of online sales to total radio revenue remains small. One estimate puts internet radio revenues - including new web-only companies and combining advertising and subscription models - at $500 million, or just 2 percent of radio’s overall revenues - in 2007.
Katz Media Group has added another new client, Lincoln Financial Media, and will sell ad time on the company’s 15 stations beginning immediately.
Katz also added CBS Radio and Entercom last week, picking them off from Interep’s list.
Katz has also…
Last week, Aegis Group CEO Robert Lerwill resigned unexpectedly, sparking speculation that a takeover may be on the horizon.
Lerwill stepped down officially today (Monday), with Aegis chairman John Napier taking over his duties on an interim basis, writes MediaPost. People…
Out-of-home companies are bracing for the recession like everyone else, but they may not feel the sting as badly as other media.
Though the third quarter brought negative growth to the nation’s three largest OOH companies - Clear Channel Outdoor,…
The 82nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade pulled an average 12.6 rating/26 share on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, according to Nielsen.
That was 8% higher than its telecast last year, Mediaweek writes. NBC estimated that a total 44.7 million viewers…
Top American non-luxury auto brands received higher ratings and less negative comments from online consumers than competing Japanese brands, according to an analysis of consumer opinions collected from automotive review websites by Biz360, MarketingCharts reports.
The research, which aggregated a year’s…
Email, news gathering and paying bills continue to be the most widely used online activities among U.S. adults, but downloading TV programs, watching videos and making web phone calls posted the biggest overall growth, according to data from Mediamark Research…
