Q. What new products or services does OMT plan to promote at the fall Radio Show?
A. iMediaAccess – HD: Local, Regional or Nationwide Area-management System for HD Radio Formats
iMediaFormat Monitor – HD: Single-screen Visual Monitor of up to 60 HD and 15 Internet Channels
iMediaTouch Version 3.0 – with 20+ new features for On Air, iMediaLogger, Production, VoiceTracking
Webshout Radio – increases terrestrial ad revenue by engaging nontraditional radio advertisers within a local community! Listeners are invited to purchase and create their own spots online using the Webshout interface via a link on a radio station’s Web site. Radio stations set the price per word, schedule and promotional campaign of the Webshout Radio service.
Q. You released iMediaTouch v.2.6.1 in spring. What’s new about this version?
A. There were over 50 new features added, the biggest being the revamp of the software GUI. Version 3.0 will carry on our hottest new features adding another 20 major features.
Q. Is radio’s digital audio management market mature? Where do you see your growth coming from in the future?
A. Yes, it is a very mature market, which means we have to work harder in order to displace incumbent digital automation systems. In 1995, when OMT first purchased the iMediaTouch rights, many of the major broadcast groups had already installed a digital automation system from a variety of competing vendors.
Today, OMT is very poised for major growth with its state-of-the-art iMediaTouch software and wide area solutions to take back a much larger position in the digital management marketplace. Since 1995, our iMediaTouch customer base has grown 400 percent with much of our new business being the result of customer referrals. When broadcasters compare the technical progress and capabilities of their current digital management systems to that of iMediaTouch, the difference in technology, features and “bang for your buck” is very much in OMT’s favor
Our growth will continue to come from our focus on radio groups and the solutions they require throughout North America as well as establishing strong dealer relationships in overseas markets such as India, Latin America, Africa and the UK.
Q. What are the most common questions or concerns you hear from your radio clients; what’s on their minds (in digital matters, or otherwise)?
A. New media such as the Internet, audio on demand, podcasting, localization of ad-fill content, streaming and video for radio audio are in the forefront of concerns, especially the decision-making on where to go for it and at what cost.
Q. What are the most notable trends affecting radio buyers in your part of the business, or new directions ahead for the company?
A. One of the greatest concerns we run across is the fear of transition from a station’s current digital management system to a competing system like iMediaTouch. Audio-library conversion, learning curve and system reliability are the key areas of concern among broadcasters who desire to move over to a more advanced system, but are apprehensive because of the perceived workload involved in making the change.
Since a large portion of our annual revenue and growth comes from displacing other vendor systems, OMT pioneered a transition process that is virtually transparent for broadcasters who wish to take advantage of all our great features of iMediaTouch. We have developed solid technologies that allow us to easily convert audio libraries from all of the top five competing automation vendors in the United States.
Our goal in the transition process was to present a “take charge of all potential problems or concerns” and we have done exactly that, providing a stress-free integration package that our new customers really appreciated in system transitions.
Q. Anything else we should know about your company?
A. Our software development plant, along with our support, is centrally located in North America in Winnipeg, MB Canada. Our hardware manufacturing and software integration is performed in Fayetteville, N.C. with Pro Racks Inc. – Van Cough General Manager. Total corporate employee count is 21 full-time personnel for the iMediaTouch division.
In addition to iMediaTouch, we have a sister company Intertain Media Inc. that, since 2002, has specialized in SQL server development, content management, Internet and Web delivery of music and point of sales advertising, digital signage and content streaming. This shared Intertain technology and development with iMediaTouch creates a very complete digital-management package.
