NextRadio continues to develop and improve its FM on cell app, and at the same time, it is building a record of success. The latest: the attainment of the million app downloads threshold. Meanwhile, upgrades to the service continue unabated.
IN addition to breaking the 1,000,000 download barrier, NextRadio has also accounted for 1,400,000 hours of listening spreads out over some 10,500 different FM stations.
A big improvement is an interface that lets radio users see what various radio stations are playing in real time, enabling station selection in a way that has never been possible. NextRadio calls it FM on demand.
And there’s more. NextRadio explained, “Other exciting enhancements include a streamlined navigation drawer that puts all user options in one easy-to-find place as well as in-app tutorials showing listeners how to interact with their local stations, a behavior change that can grow radio’s position in the exploding mobile ad business. A new feature available to stations utilizing the TagStation cloud-based service is dynamically-driven related content “cards”. The cards will accompany station songs and programming events to provide the listener with more information about the live broadcast while providing the station with extended advertiser and promotion options. These may include upcoming concerts, record release dates, recently played, next up on-air, and more. All of this, along with improved frequency locating accuracy, is sure to make the radio listening experience easier, more immersive, and more enjoyable.”
Apparently, noted FM on cell skeptic Gary Shapiro, the CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, is even taking positive notice.
According to NextRadio, he recently told industry trade Radion Ink, “I think it’s great. NextRadio/Emmis Communications’ CEO, Jeff Smulyan is trying something different; pushing the marketplace forward. But, frankly, he needs the support of other radio broadcasters. He needs the marketing push radio can offer. I think radio’s biggest mistake is not promoting itself.”
A 90-second video of the latest NextRadio app is available here
http://tagstation.com/videos/nextradio-feature-reel-2014/.
