EmpireStreaming, which owns the Live365 internet radio platform, has partnered with ad-tech company AdsWizz to bring dynamic ad insertion and digital audio management to its client base of small and mid-size webcasters.
The two key AdsWizz platforms involved in this alliance are AIS (Ad Insertion System) and AudioServe which is an ad trafficking and managements system.
The deal was probably facilitated by Rockie Thomas, currently Chief Revenue Officer of EmpireStreaming and Live365, who joined the venture from her previous role as VP of Business Development at AdsWizz.
“This is a great partnership opportunity for both companies,” said Rockie Thomas, Chief Revenue Officer for EmpireStreaming and Live365, who joined the group from her previous role as VP, business Development at AdsWizz. She characterized her new team as “the most experienced solutions and deployment team in the industry. We know how to deploy digital audio ad tech quickly and correctly.”
“We are thrilled to partner with EmpireStreaming to make it easier for small and mid-sized podcast publishers to access and implement our dynamic ad insertion solution,” said Alexis van de Wyer, CEO of AdsWizz.
It’s an interesting point that some of the world’s most advanced advertising technology is being wheeled into an environment knows for serving small webcasters. Small webcasters have suffered in the last two years, when that segment of internet radio lost its protection from high music royalty rates in the U.S. That catastrophic cost burden caused the original Live365 to abruptly collapse, to be revived a year later by EmpireStreaming. this deal marks a new step in the revival of a brand which symbolizes (and actually serves) small, mid-size, and semi-pro webcasting.
“The EmpireStreaming team are very experienced in digital audio,” Alexis van de Wyer continued, “and – with their managed ad operations services – they can offer integrated turn-key solution with our software that meets a real need in the market today.”