• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, February 23, 2015

Most smartphones now carry FM radio chips, but wireless carriers have dragged their feet when it comes to activating them. This might change if more device owners demanded FM chip activation -- but first, they have to know the chips even exist.

That’s the goal of a new public awareness and advocacy campaign by National Association of Broadcasters and NextRadio, the smartphone app created by broadcasters to bring radio to smartphones.

The campaign, carried by broadcast radio stations throughout the U.S., encourages listeners to download the NextRadio app on their smartphones or visit a Web site, FreeRadioOnMyPhone.org, where they can sign a petition demanding that wireless carriers activate the FM chip.

The NextRadio app integrates broadcast audio content with digital imagery, text and interactive functions enabled by the Internet to enable mobile radio listening without excessive data usage. NextRadio draws on data from TagStation, a cloud-based platform that allows radio stations to upload branding images, call letters, formats, station names, slogans, and other identifying information.

It also offers interactive features to recording artists, advertisers and listeners, including album art and artist information, listener feedback, song-tagging capabilities and social integration.

The Radio Advertising Bureau and the National Alliance of State Broadcasting Associations are joining the NAB and NextRadio in urging member stations to participate in the campaign, produced with the help of ad agency DeVito/Verdi. Katz Media Group, McGavren, Local Focus and Regional Reps are providing information to affiliates about how to participate.

NASBA President Michelle Vetterkind stated: “The NextRadio platform is our key to future audience and advertiser growth with a renewed perception of what broadcast radio means.”

The NextRadio initiative has been spearheaded by Emmis since it was first unveiled in 2011.