What is your role at Sprint in relation to hybrid radio and the NextRadio project?
I work in the product development department, and I manage the daily operations for NextRadio at Sprint.
What are the benefits to Sprint of “hybrid radio”?
NextRadio brings diversity to Sprint’s music portfolio. NextRadio, along with HD Music track (.Flac)-compatible phones, Sprint Music Live and Sprint Music Plus, offer a diverse set of options for Sprint customers enjoying music on the go.
Since Sprint and Emmis/NextRadio began working together, what has been your observation about market reaction and consumer interest?
The feedback has been very positive. NextRadio really bridges the gap from traditional radio in the car and streaming music app features — bringing them together in one place for the mobile device.
Are there other kinds of hybrid radio out there, other than NextRadio, in which Sprint is participating?
No.
In your view, how can radio broadcasters make their content more available in, or more prominent on, your devices?
Now is the perfect time for broadcasters to fully integrate with NextRadio through TagStation. As its website states, “TagStation provides broadcasters with an easy-to-use, standardized and cost-effective way to deliver the kind of Artist Experience and Ad Experience today’s consumers expect, whether it’s in the dashboard or on a smartphone.”
The Nextradio app is preloaded on all new Android devices that are launched at Sprint — this is prime real estate and gives broadcasters a great opportunity to not only participate in displaying album art and metadata through TagStation, but it also gives them a brand-new line of revenue with synchronized advertising.
What else should we know?
Please visit http://tagstation.com/tagstation/ or reach out to Paul Brenner to find out how to participate.
