Yesterday, TuneIn announced that it has been selected by Emmis Communications to broaden the reach of its 20 stations to the service’s 30 million monthly active listeners. As part of the agreement, Emmis will gain use of a variety of TuneIn tools, such as free analytics and an ad platform. Emmis stations will also promote TuneIn to their listeners on-air.
“One of our key focal points is to connect the highest quality broadcasters with the millions of passionate listeners who look to TuneIn to hear their favorite content and discover great new stations and artists,” said John Donham, CEO, TuneIn. “Emmis has such a compelling stable of influential radio stations, and as an organization they really understand the value of great programming and strong brand-building. We are very excited to align with them.”
Emmis owns and operates radio stations in the nation’s largest markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Austin, St. Louis, and Indianapolis, its hometown. TuneIn listeners now can enjoy popular Emmis stations through over 150 different platforms, including smartphone and tablet apps, connected vehicle dashboards, Internet home entertainment systems, and online at www.tunein.com. Currently, TuneIn Radio and TuneIn Radio Pro are the only audio streaming apps that have a 4.5 or 5 star rating on every mobile platform, worldwide.
Jeff Smulyan, Chairman and CEO of Emmis Communications, remarked, “Emmis is excited by today’s announcement. We want to follow our listeners and deliver our content to the platforms they choose to use. The TuneIn platform will provide our listeners from coast to coast another connection point with their favorite radio brands.”
Signs of the alliance were evident earlier this month when Emmis offered the entire HOT 97 Summer Jam festival available for free through TuneIn’s service. Emmis also offered theme stations celebrating the music of HOT 97 Summer Jam and the POWER 106 Powerhouse festival exclusively to TuneIn listeners. TuneIn and Emmis-owned KGSR/Austin worked closely together in March as KGSR streamed numerous live performances from SXSW to the TuneIn audience.
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