FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks addressed the Hispanic Radio Conference on Oct. 15. In a section of his talk he singled out GeoBroadcast Solutions for favorable comments.
He drew attention to the company’s localized broadcasting technology. “The use of this geo-targeted content holds promise as a way for stations to provide hyperlocalized content including alternative language news, weather, emergency alerts, and advertising periodically during the broadcast day. It could provide a way for minority-owned stations to better serve their communities, and open up opportunities for small businesses looking to more cost-effectively advertise to a targeted audience and for FM stations owned by people of color to increase advertising revenue.”
[Read: Should Translators Originate Content? FCC Is Taking Comments]
Starks noted that the FCC can do to promote this. “One proposal before the FCC holds promise to do just that. GeoBroadcast Solutions LLC has petitioned the FCC to revise the FM booster rule to allow, on a limited basis, geo-targeted content to originate from FM booster stations.”
He added that GeoBroadcast Solutions “has developed an ad revenue sharing model that would help smaller stations install boosters and new technology necessary to use the system without having to come up with up front capital and operational expenses.”
GeoBroadcast Solutions CTO Bill Hieatt said, “We appreciate the commissioner’s remarks and note that our development of a geo-targeting solution for the broadcast radio industry was due in part to help reach underserved minority sub-markets within a station’s signal range.”
He explained, “We believe our technology will level the playing field across consumer media in ways that cannot be done today but can begin quickly to support moves the radio industry in line with today’s technology while also improving the consumer experience in the most widely-used source of news, entertainment, and information.”
