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HD Alliance Ups Marketing Commitment By $230 Million
WASHINGTON -- October 15, 2007: The HD Digital Radio Alliance -- a joint initiative by a number of leading broadcasters to promote consumer adoption of HD Radio -- has renewed its charter and committed to an additional $230 million in marketing funds for 2008. That brings the group's total financial commitment to $680 million.
"Our renewed charter shines the spotlight on local markets and the unique content offered on the new HD2 radio stations," said HD Digital Radio Alliance President/CEO Peter Ferrara. "Now is the time for each local market manager, program director, and sales manager to step up and make HD Radio a part of their business objectives for 2008."
With the new charter, the alliance has revised its two-year ad moratorium on HD subchannels to allow "name-in-title" sponsorships and a limited number of hourly sponsor mentions. Additionally, stations belonging to alliance companies will no longer be required to submit their proposed subchannel formats to the alliance for review, provided the proposed format is not already on the air in the market on either an analog or HD2 station.
The charter also includes a commitment to give a portion of weekly alliance ad time back to local radio station to promote their own HD content, local partnerships, and HD Radio-related events and promotions.
Clear Channel is a founding member of the alliance, and CC CEO Mark Mays said, "Radio's greatest value proposition for listeners is its unique ability to deliver content tailored to the needs and tastes of local audiences. The new charter creates additional ways for our local stations to pump up the volume on promoting the fresh, free formats and choices available on their HD and HD2 channels."
"A key driver of commitment for local broadcasters is having flexibility in selecting the HD2 formats that in their judgment will best serve their listeners, as well as being able to monetize that content through their relationships with local advertisers," said Dan Mason, CEO of founding alliance member CBS Radio. "The new charter amplifies support to our local stations as they recognize and embrace their crucial role in helping consumers discover HD Radio."
The alliance has also amended its membership requirements to encourage other broadcasters to join.
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