Emmis Communications and WorldBand Media are partnering on HD Radio multicast programming targeting South Asian communities in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Details of the partnership were not released. According to the U.S. Census and Statistics Canada, the companies said, North America has 3.8 million reported South Asians, including those of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan descent.
WorldBand Media’s South Asian programming will be broadcast on the HD3 channel of Emmis FM stations WQHT-HD3, New York, KPWR-HD3 Los Angeles and WLUP-HD3, Chicago. The programming should be available by mid-October.
Emmis Chairman/CEO Jeff Smulyan said by using the HD Radio bandwidth in this manner, “the companies can deliver unique, compelling content to a vibrant and rapidly growing ethnic community, open a new revenue source for the company and expand the market for HD radios.”
WorldBand calls itself “North America’s first ethnic digital radio network.” It has offices in New York and Markham, Ontario; its advisers include Kevin Shea, former president/CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio Canada.
RW reported on a separate venture to serve this growing market niche in June; that story is here.
