Xperi has announced a significant new feature of its DTS AutoStage global hybrid radio solution at NAB Show New York: audience insights. Radio stations that join the platform can gain insights into what audiences are listening to while in the car.
Because in-car audiences represent a significant portion of FM/AM listening, what they are listening to and when are crucial metrics for broadcasters.
Speaking at the announcement of the new feature, Xperi senior vice president of broadcast Joe D’Angelo explained that while the platform provided a visual and information-rich component to listening, a two-way online data connection allowed the transfer of key metadata, including listener behavior.
In the words of Pierre Bouvard, chief insights officer of American radio network Westwood One and its global owners Cumulus Media, who was also part of the announcement, AM/FM radio was going “big data.”
D’Angelo added joining DTS AutoStage is free for broadcasters — they just need to provide Xperi with static data, including call letters, slogan, etc., the station’s streaming URL for should a vehicle leave the station’s terrestrial broadcast footprint and live data from the station’s programming system, such as presenter’s details and images plus that of songs and adverts they broadcast.
Among other benefits for broadcasters, the system can generate heat maps of audiences within an advertiser’s — or potential advertiser’s — retail trading area and visual analytics of the impact of promotions or special events using large samples of captive audiences.