• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 29, 2011

Clear Channel Radio, which has positioned its New iHeartRadio platform as a competitor to Pandora in the digital audio arena, announced Tuesday that iHeartRadio’s Custom Stations -- a key part of its competitive strategy -- will remain advertising-free until April 1, 2012.

Originally the ad-free period -- which is intended to help drive engagement and adoption of iHeart Radio -- was scheduled to last only until the end of this year.

The New iHeartRadio platform, which is available at iHeartRadio.com, as well as on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android, is the product of integration with Thumbplay, acquired by Clear Channel in March of this year.

CCR is positioning iHeartRadio as a free alternative to Pandora by offering music on demand, custom stations and new listening suggestions based on users' preferences. The service also gives listeners access to streaming audio from over 800 live broadcast and digital-only radio stations, from 150 cities around the U.S. 

The company has been working steadily to expand distribution and programming options for iHeartRadio.

In September, CCR revealed that it was adding Spanish-language programming from Univision Radio to the New iHeartRadio platform. The content partnership -- the first third-party distribution relationship for the digital platform -- includes music, sports, and talk formats, as well as leading AM and FM Spanish-language radio personalities. 

Then in October, CCR signed a deal that brings the online and mobile service to Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming network. The iHeartRadio platform is available for free to members of Xbox Live Gold, Xbox 360's online entertainment service. It is the only digital radio service on Xbox Live. 

Users can also access social features through iHeartRadio's integration with Facebook. Xbox Live Gold members who also own the Kinect for Xbox can control digital radio play using voice and body signals.