• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, July 22, 2014

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has partnered with AdsWizz, an advertising technology company, to develop a new method to insert targeted audio ads in live broadcast radio streams.
 
The new system will enable advertisers to target listeners based on their user profiles, listening preferences, location, demographic and psychographic criteria and devices. Advertisers will also be able to create custom segments using listener data.

The system will be developed with HTTP Live Streaming, which will allow advertisers more reach while ensuring reliable delivery of ads. It will be available for ad insertion in live streams from all Clear Channel stations across the U.S. The system will also provide a range of audience metrics and historical analytics for each stream.
 
Last month, CCME unveiled the latest version of its digital radio app, iHeartRadio 5.0, for Android and iOS, with enhanced capabilities for personalization and a redesigned user interface. The new version of iHeartRadio includes a personalized listening option, “For You,” which adds a genre selection tool for more tailored station recommendations, powered by updated algorithms for analyzing listener preferences and music discovery.
 
The Android version of iHeartRadio 5.0 is available now, with the iOS version set to debut next week. CCME also revealed plans to support Chromecast and other types of in-home listening integrations that are compatible with various devices.
 
The first half of the year saw a flurry of activity in the digital radio arena.

While Pandora remains the dominant player, with 31% share of the audio streaming space according to Edison Research and Statista, it faces new competition from rivals including Apple’s iTunes Radio. In May, Apple announced it would acquire Beats Electronics, including its Beats Music streaming audio service; the deal is expected to close in September.
 
In June, WideOrbit, which provides advertising management software for media companies, announced its acquisition of Abacast, a company that specializes in streaming, live and on-demand advertising insertion and other monetization techniques for digital radio. Also in June, streaming music platform Rdio acquired TastemakerX, which operates a music discovery and curation service and enables listeners to discover new music, build and listen to virtual collections, and view artists based on social discovery.
 
Similarly, in March, Spotify acquired “music intelligence” service The Echo Nest, whose predictive technology is used to power music recommendations on streaming radio services. And the Media Rating Council granted Triton Digital accreditation for Webcast Metrics Local, a service within Webcast Metrics that measures local streaming audio listening .