Wednesday at NAB Show New York brought plenty of technological discussions, with panelists itching to talk about AI, data, and digital. The culmination of the Radio Insights Seminar, “The Pursuit of Growth: Innovative Tech and Services to Enhance and Diversify Your Radio Business,” delved into how emerging tools can bolster radio operations and open new avenues for business.
The panel, hosted by John Clark, Senior Vice President of Emerging Technology and Executive Director of PILOT at the National Association of Broadcasters, featured speakers Christopher Bell from Amazon Web Services, Juan Galdamez from XPERI, and Sarah Foss, CTO of Audacy.
Foss discussed Audacy’s approach to third-party data standardization across its 47 markets. She emphasized the need for a solid strategy to build first-party data, advocating for a focus on quality rather than quantity of data. “The more you think of it as a journey and not a destination, the better the digital experience will be for both the client and the advertisers,” said Foss. She also noted that any new development at Audacy has to meet at least two criteria out of three: innovation, modernization, and standardization.
Bell advised businesses to start with a clear goal and to understand their “data story.” He also talked about the virtualization of radio tools, stating that this could eliminate the need for physical studios and broaden access to diverse voices.
Galdamez underscored the importance of retaining audiences in cars and gathering more metrics. He also highlighted the need for robust metadata infrastructure on the backend. “AutoStage metrics are crucial for understanding listener behavior,” he mentioned.
The panelists agreed that leveraging technologies like AI, automation, and data analytics could make radio stations more efficient and create new business opportunities, but cautioned that a well-thought-out strategy and a focus on meaningful data are essential for long-term success.
