NextRadio was introduced in August, 2013, as a tuner for SmartPhones to receive over-the-air radio reception with enhanced on-screen interactivity. In the nearly four years of NextRadio promotion, Emmis has faced challenges. In this week’s earnings call, Emmis head Jeff Smulyan put NextRadio prominently in the discussion, and framed it as an early-stage product undergoing growth and improvement. Continue Reading
Emmis Communications has announced a three-way technology partnership which will more smoothly repurpose program content for online, on-demand distribution. The solution announced today is a blend of technologies offered by Omny Studio, which has specialized in easy-to-use program clipping and archiving, and Triton Digital, which brings its Tap Podcast monetization platform into the mix. Continue Reading
In an unexpected announcement by NextRadio that will be greeted warmly by all advocates of FM reception in smartphones, AT&T has added FM chip activation to the specification list that it gives OEM phone makers. This development carries a hopeful message to Emmis-owned NextRadio, and the stations which participate in that app. Continue Reading
Last week Emmis Communications held its fiscal-Q1 2016 earnings call. In it, CEO Jeff Smulyan expressed confidence and optimism about terrestrial radio, skepticism of streaming as a primary business model, and continued enthusiasm for the NextRadio initiative. Continue Reading
Well-read tech reviewer David Pogue bestowed and end-of-year “Pogie” award on NextRadio, an FM chip-plus-app solution for selected Android phones. For Pogue, the point isn’t any rhapsodic affinity with radio. The appeal for him seems to be streaming audio that doesn’t eat into the phone’s data plan. We review the history of portable radio in the mobile digital era. Continue Reading