A new Radio World ebook explores the impact of in-car analytics. Read “Data-Driven Radio” here.
7 Mountains Media recently began using the premium tier of DTS AutoStage analytics. The broadcaster delivers local radio to 18 markets, with custom local programming for listeners and integrated media solutions for local businesses.
Kristin Cantrell is the owner and CEO.
Radio World: What is your market size, and what sources of listening measurement do you currently use?
Kristin Cantrell: All of our markets are small to medium in size. We do not subscribe to traditional ratings services in any market due to the cost and the sample size.
RW: I’m told that the company has signed up for the premium tier of DTS AutoStage. Why have you taken this step?
Cantrell: This is how we tell our ratings story. By combining DTS AutoStage in-car listening to AM/FM with our first-party data — including streaming data, app usage data, event engagement, etc. — we can tell our story of how people are listening to our stations in today’s media landscape.
We have far more data and sample size than we have ever had in the past and it’s in real time. This is the breakthrough we have been anticipating for years.
RW: In what way do you expect that the analytics will change how your sales or programming teams work?
Cantrell: It is revolutionizing how our employees see our own stations. Programmers use it to analyze what moves the needle and what doesn’t. Salespeople now have a concrete data answer to “Is anyone listening to the radio?”
RW: In what way will these measurements be integrated with your use of other data sources?
Cantrell: Using AI coding tools, we built an app for our company that combines all our first-party data and DTS AutoStage data with our station coverage areas overlaid in one dashboard. We can also overlay our clients’ locations onto all the audience data to create a compelling story of reach and proximity.
The graphic below is from the dashboard tool, which is still in beta.
This is the top-level view including all stations and markets where we cover Rural King locations, but we can drill down to a very granular level with reports including station DTS ratings by daypart, traffic corridors, county population and Zip code geographies.
So whether it’s one station, a whole market or our entire company, we can customize the presentation to the client’s needs.
RW: What does it cost you? And when did you begin with the premium tier?
Cantrell: We started using the premium data in May but our custom markets were just released two weeks ago. So for example, now we see our data as Olean, N.Y., instead of how we’re seen in the Buffalo DMA.
As for rates, Markets 125+ are $200/month per station, with deep discounts for 2026 and 2027. Every station in the cluster must be a subscriber. No cherry picking.
Worth every penny — you can make it back in one sale.
RW: What can you tell us so far about which tool(s) have been most useful and why?
Cantrell: Heatmaps, daypart rankers and listener trends. DTS brings the audience to life for the client focused on analytics and proof of audience location and engagement.
RW: What are the most common questions that your sales team is asked about measurement, and how do in-car analytics affect that conversation?
Cantrell: Our salespeople are asked “Do you have ratings” and “Is anyone still listening to the radio?”
Especially if they are new sellers, this stops the conversation in its tracks. Now they have a vibrant, confident answer that impresses the client and allows the conversation to turn into business.
RW: What common misconceptions about this topic would you like the industry to be aware of?
Cantrell: This only reflects in-car listening for 14 brands, so it doesn’t paint a complete picture of the audience. That’s true … so that means it’s only the beginning.
What about the other car brands? How many people are in a car? What car brands are registered in each market and on the road?
When we have those answers, we can extrapolate total listening and expand the ROI story we already have. As the technology evolves I think it will eventually pull the whole story together seamlessly to represent a day in the life of a listener.
RW: What else should we know?
Cantrell: Take advantage of this technology to tell the story of your station. Stop apologizing for being the number one reach medium.
Even if you just start with the basic free level, you will have more data than you previously had if you’re in an unrated market.
Combine that with your local success stories of community events, promotions, streaming data, podcasts … whatever you’ve got … so you can tell your story with confidence and swagger.
Read about the impact of in-car analytics in the free ebook “Data-Driven Radio.”
