CBS Radio and Vibes are announcing a deal that gives 41 CBS Radio stations the ability to send text messaging to listeners.
“By delivering this new content we are able to build loyalty through direct contact with our listeners and add tremendous value for our advertisers,” said Joel Hollander, chairman and chief executive of CBS Radio.
I’ve been practically preaching for years about the need for radio to reach out to the computer desktop and even went so far as to build a private-label instant messaging platform. In his latest article for iMedia Connection, WeatherBug’s Andy Jedynak drives this point home.
If you’re a media brand, it’s nice to have a big audience. Nice to have lots of “eyeballs” to sell. Nice to have a great story to tell, and the kind of strong reach that can really help the advertiser. With the massive shift of eyeballs to internet, it’s been tough for the traditional media folks to keep their story intact, but those of us on the digital side are now largely pacing well when it comes to the eyeballs we have and can sell profitably. Just when business is looking good, I’m here to tell you how those eyeballs you and your advertisers count on could soon get elusive.
Major League Baseball Advanced Media has recently paired with Burbank, CA-based CenterStage, part of an unexpected and growing digital alliance between baseball and song. As part of the deal, MLB Advanced Media will power the freshly-launched rehearsals.com, which will showcase artists in a behind-the-scenes format. CenterStage houses a massive rehearsal and production facility for all facets of the entertainment industry, and the MLB deal will allow the company to leverage that presence online. Rehearsals.com will deliver up-close looks at artists as they prepare for concert tours, television appearances & recording sessions. Streaming performances, music news, and weekly profiles with musicians will also be part of the mix.
The New Cars, Earth, Wind & Fire, Panic Channel, the Pussycat Dolls and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are some of the artists that will be included in the new offering. “CenterStaging’s strategic mission is to capture a piece of the worldwide multibillion dollar digital marketplace,” said CenterStaging CEO Roger Paglia. With that in mind, the choice of MLB Advanced Media not exactly surprising. “They have shown an extraordinary ability to create long-term business and revenue growth through the delivery of streaming video and other advanced forms of online programming and e-commerce,” Paglia added. Since its launch in 2001, MLB.com has attracted more than seven million daily viewers, leading to tangential plays into entertainment. Just recently, the company brokered a deal with Signatures Network to power destinations for Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, and Fleetwood Mac.
FMQB points out that radio still ignites a response.
if you thought the passion for regular radio has waned due to satellite radio, iPods, the Internet and all the other mediums that highly placed radio executives have been waxing poetic about their negative influence, you were wrong.
