CBS, AOL RADIO JOIN FORCES

Struggling terrestrial radio turned to the web today, when CBS Radio and AOL announced a joint partnership to power AOL Radio, combining two of the largest online radio networks to offer listeners access to their programming. The two companies will present a new, Mac ready online player.

CBS will integrate AOL Radio stations and drive advertising sales for more than 200 stations in addition to its own online streams of more than 150 radio stations and custom channels.

A brand new player developed by CBS and incorporating all of the favorite features AOL listeners are accustomed to, and more, will be launched this spring. The completely updated interface will include all of the stations currently programmed by AOL and a wide range of top-rated local sports, talk, news and music stations, including CBS' WFANand WINS in New York, KLSX and KROQ in L.A., WXRT in Chicago, WVEE in Atlanta, as well as a litany of customized stations created exclusively by CBS for the Internet. Additional stations programmed by CBS Radio and AOL will be launched throughout the partnership.

The new player will allow audiences to toggle between stations; view song titles, album information and link to websites featuring the current artist being streamed; access favorite stations via presets, rate and share songs with family, friends, and coworkers; purchase individual songs, albums and concert tickets; and link to a host of additional web content, including photos, videos, promotions, contests, news headlines, sports scores, trivia, and concert information, among other topics.

Commented CBS Radio President/CEO Dan Mason: “We have been very clear about our goals in this area and teaming with AOL is a tremendous step forward in that regard. Couple that with years of progress building out our own streaming operations, and CBS Radio is instantly positioned as the leader in the online radio space. A combined CBS Radio/AOL Radio affords us vastly greater scale, as well as massive distribution for our brands. We look forward to all that we will now be able to offer our audiences and advertisers alike.”

AOL EVP Kevin Conroy said: “This partnership with CBS Radio reconfirms our commitment to the expanding online radio audience and provides significantly more programming choices for our listeners.”

CBS Radio's sales force will hawk advertising for the combined stations, utilizing TargetSpot for their online transactions, which they call "the first end to end advertising marketplace specifically designed for streaming audio."

The online platform allows clients to create, buy and place their advertising messages on streaming stations targeting listeners by station, location, listening preferences and demographics. In addition, Ronning Lipset Radio, the national online radio representation firm which has handled AOL Radio’s streaming ad inventory for more than four years, is broadening its responsibilities to include CBS Radio’s online radio properties as well.

Added CBS Digital Media and Integrated Marketing David Goodman: “As a result of having one of the most powerful Internet radio platforms in the world we’ve created even greater opportunities for advertisers to be integrated into one of the fastest growing areas on the web. It's the most revolutionary development in communications since the tin can and the string.”