May 02, 2005
Infinity Launching Podcast Radio Station
Infinity Broadcasting continued to advance its new media strategy Wednesday with the announcement that it will launch the first-ever podcasting radio station. Using content created exclusively by listener podcasts, KYOURADIO station will launch May 16 on Talk KYCY-AM in San Francisco and stream online at kyouradio.com.
Podcasting has taken off in the past year, with thousands of podcasts available for easy download to iPods or MP3 players. Most of the podcasts have been created by hobbyists and average Americans, due to the inexpensive technology and readily-available software required to podcast.
Although several radio stations, such as Bonneville International's WTOP-AM in Washington, D.C., have offered up hour-long podcasts of select programming, Infinity is the first group to embrace podcasting as the foundation for an entire format the company is calling Open Source Radio.
"There is a profound shift underway in the way we use technology that allows everyone to have a voice. KYOURADIO harnesses that power by serving our listeners with content developed by them, for them and offering a platform to share it with the rest of the world," said Joel Hollander, chairman and CEO of Infinity.
Beginning today, listeners can upload their podcasts at no charge at KYOURADIO's Web site, where it will be reviewed for broadcast. Going forward, programming on the station will be determined by listener interest and feedback, evaluated daily.
--Katy Bachman
