The decision follows a September fortification of Radio.com when the Play-it podcast portal (also developed by CBS Radio before it merged with Entercom) was closed and redirected to Radio.com. According to Entercom CEO David Field, these moves are part of an ambitious roadmap for Radio.com, which resides at one of the most premium domains imaginable.
“We are committed to making RADIO.COM a leader in the digital audio space,” Field said. “Over the next several months, we will be rolling out new product features, distribution partners, advanced advertising products, and other improvements to enrich the user experience and enhance our value to customers. Our goal is to make RADIO.COM a daily habit for many millions of Americans.”
The mobile app is arguably a better experience than the desktop version of Radio.com, and it notably forces user registration. Gathering user data has long been a challenge for broadcast compared to online-only pureplay audio platforms.
David Field promises that Entercom radio listeners will soon hear a more aggressive promotional effort to drive traffic to Radio.com.
The gambit creates a more silo’d and competitive landscape of radio aggregators, as Radio.com moves into direct competition for listenership with TuneIn and iHeartRadio.