NextRadio Readies Data Evaluation From Nielsen

0

An agreement to evaluate TagStation’s NextRadio data has been reached by Nielsen and the tech company owned by Emmis Communications.


The deal, announced Wednesday (3/15), “will explore methods to incorporate NextRadio listening data into Nielsen’s audio datasets, potentially paving the way for future big data integrations for the radio industry.”

It’s a major step forward for NextRadio, the app available on Android-powered smartphones that unlocks the FM chip in each handset, providing local over-the-air FM broadcasts without using a consumer’s wireless data plan.

NextRadio is presently linked to some 16,000 FM stations, including FM translator facilities for AM stations.

TagStation notes that NextRadio app has more than 11 million downloads from the Google Play Store and it is supported on nearly 100 mobile devices.

“Nielsen is focused on measuring consumers across all platforms and distribution paths; this is a critical element of Nielsen Total Audience strategy for Audio,” said Nielsen Audio Managing Director Brad Kelly. “NextRadio is a growing, high-profile, and industry-supported platform that has the potential to serve as a big data source for the radio industry. We are pleased to take this important step to unleash the power of big data in our core audio measurement services.”

Paul Brenner, President of TagStation, added, “We are excited to be working with Nielsen to identify the mutual benefits of our FM radio station listener data that will support the entire radio industry. We have robust listening and user data that stations can use now to help them better understand their listener and listening share, and we look forward to positively contributing to radio measurement and Nielsen ratings in the future.”