GeoBroadcast Solutions Takes iHeart To Task On ‘ZoneCasting’ Fight

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Addressable Advertising. It’s a desire of practically every marketer and advertiser, with media buyers and planners seeking out every form of communication to deliver what the client wants — personalized messaging.


That puts radio in an odd position. Yes, it has audio streaming opportunities. But, radio broadcasting’s broad reach — long its selling point and biggest positive for an advertiser — is now a detriment. What’s an owner of a FM radio station to do?

GeoBroadcast Solutions has an answer, and in autumn 2021 successfully tested technology that literally localizes an FM signal, offering advertisers more options by geo-targeting audiences. It had previously asked the FCC to amend its booster rules to allow for program origination — key to the voluntary use of “ZoneCasting” by FM station owners. The FCC obliged in November 2020 by adopting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, now under consideration.

Obstacles could prevent “ZoneCasting” from proliferation across the U.S., however, some 14 months later. And, GeoBroadcast Solutions says in a letter submitted this week with the FCC, iHeartMedia is the biggest obstructer to making “ZoneCasting” happen.

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