• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, June 2, 2010

Triton Digital, the interactive arm of Triton Media, has created a Free App Store to allow media companies (including Triton's core market of radio broadcasters) to offer consumers more content via the Internet and smartphones. At launch, the selection of free apps available at the Triton Free App Store includes apps created by Live Intent, TinBu, and Airgame Entertainment.

Triton COO Mike Agovino said the new app store offers radio stations and broadcast groups "additional features, tools, and content across a wide range of categories and at no cost." Meanwhile, Triton's vice president for strategy Mike Kerr said the apps offer stations "social media, channel content, and engagement," promising "regular additions to the App Store" in the future.

Live Intent's app helps radio stations get listeners following Twitter feeds for the favorite musicians and talk show hosts while maintaining engagement with the station Web site. Airgame offers broadcast programming-related casual games for prizes, like Cyberscramble -- a word jumble using song titles. TinBu allows station Web sites to incorporate various news and entertainment content feeds, including lotto picks, free horoscopes, and where to find the lowest gas prices.

These free app partnerships are the latest in a series of moves by Triton to expand its digital offerings for radio stations and broadcast groups. In November 2007, Triton acquired Excelsior Radio Networks and its two subsidiaries: Dial Global and MJI Interactive. In August 2009, Triton acquired Enticent, a loyalty marketer, and merged it with an existing Triton division, Mass2One Media, to form a new unit called Triton Loyalty. In September 2009, Triton acquired Ando Media, which specializes in online radio measurement and advertising management. And in March, Triton Media and Jelli began syndicating two "crowd-sourced" broadcast radio programs using Jelli's interactive social-media platform.