Emmis Communications, a member of the Local Media Internet Venture (LMiV), a consortium of Bonneville International, Corus Entertainment, Entercom Communications, and Jefferson-Pilot Communications, says that it will not resume streaming until a hefty inventory of ad-insertion spots has been built.
LMiV, which works with RealNetworks’ Radio Business Applications, a suite of services that allows broadcasters to insert advertising spots into their online streams, plans to build a radio-owned web portal for streaming stations.
Jack Swarbrick, president and CEO of LMiV says, “Through our partnership with RealNetworks, LMiV’s technology gives our affiliates complete control over streaming. LMiV’s affiliates will be able to block and substitute ads quickly and easily with ad insertion technology that is fully tested and operational. Our focus now is to build up enough inventory to cover the thousands of ads that will now need to be blocked. We are confident we can do that quickly. LMiV’s network of nearly 200 stations – many of which are located in America’s top markets – gives us the platform to sell audio inserted ads to national advertisers.”
RealNetworks has a national sales staff of more than 20 people, representing all 170 stations in the network. LMiV has yet to launch. Its first beta site, WTOP-Washington, was launched only this week. Emmis will proceed with plans to bring all of its stations to the fold of LMiV, and plans to resume streaming those stations as soon as the ad inventory can support the need to fill now silent spots.
