Beasley Media’s programming team has joined with SonicAi to develop new smartspeaker “skills” for many of the broadcaster’s 63 radio stations.
“Innovation in the smart speaker device space is critical for Beasley and our industry as a whole,” said Beasley Executive Vice President of Digital Steve Meyers.
Earlier this year, Philadelphia’s WMMR(FM) launched voice access technology for Amazon Echo (“Alexa, open MMR”), and Beasley is now ready to expand the technology to other stations.
(By the way, this isn’t the first time WMMR has moved to the front of the technology pack. Last year, when the station was still under Greater Media ownership, the station announced its app was CarPlay compatible.)
SonicAi is the result of a partnership between mobile developer jācapps and Amplifi Media and was formed in April.
According to Amplifi Media founder/CEO Steve Goldstein, the effort is focused on “audience retention and creating more listening occasions.”
And Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs said, “Alexa and the Echo device have taken off quickly, providing a huge opportunity for radio to get back into the audience’s home listening environment.” Techsurvey13 data showed 11% of respondents currently own a smartspeaker.
