TuneIn has announced a deal to bring Cumulus Media’s 441 stations back to their platform.
The deal will also include distribution of podcasts from the Westwood One Podcast Network. Cumulus previously had a deal to distribute their streams on the iHeartRadio app, where as of this moment they remain. The addition of Cumulus Media’s stations helps TuneIn following the loss of Entercom’s stations from the platform last month.
TuneIn, Inc., the leading global live audio streaming service, and CUMULUS MEDIA, one of the largest media companies in the U.S., today announced that they have signed an agreement that will bring all 441 of CUMULUS MEDIA’S owned-and-operated stations across 90 U.S. markets to the TuneIn platform as well as distribution of the podcasts from Westwood One Podcast Network. The deal will bring market-leading stations to TuneIn’s 75 million monthly listeners across more than 200 platforms and connected devices including smart speakers, beginning today.
“As the world’s leader in live digital audio, we are thrilled to provide our listeners access to some of the best live station programming across sports, news, talk and music and entertainment, as well as popular podcasts and other on-demand content offered by CUMULUS MEDIA,” said John Donham, Chief Executive Officer at TuneIn. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership as we grow the next chapter of the audio business together.”
“We understand that consumers engage with content across multiple platforms and devices. We put our listeners first, and we have made it our mission to provide a modern and platform-agnostic listening experience,” said Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer at CUMULUS MEDIA. “Expanding our partnership with TuneIn takes our distribution and promotional opportunities to the next level, exposing our portfolio of leading stations, shows and programs to new fans across streaming, podcast, and voice AI technologies.”
This multi-year partnership serves as an expansion of an existing agreement between TuneIn and Westwood One, a subsidiary of CUMULUS MEDIA, broadening the reach and accessibility of high-quality content to highly engaged audio lovers. Some of the market leading stations that will now be available to TuneIn’s global listeners include:
- WPLJ-FM (95.5 in New York)
- KSFO-AM (560 in San Francisco)
- KTCK-AM (1310 in Dallas)
- KLOS-FM (95.5 Los Angeles)
- WLS-AM (890 in Chicago)
- WMAL-AM and FM (105.9 and 630 in Washington, D.C.)
- WPRO-FM (92.3 in Providence)
harveyaudio 
kent 
airplane777 
This is a step in the right direction for Cumulus. Now is it too much to ask them to quit inserting those Progressive commercials with that annoying Flo girl into the WVLK stream? One reason the radio industry is struggling is the ad insertion that blocks out local ads, telling the sponsors their dollars don’t matter as much, especially given the resurgence of radio listening on smartphone apps.
They’re not allowed to air certain sponsors’ ads on their streams. Union contracts with ad agencies don’t allow streaming of spots that were cut for on-air use.
Most stations air the local direct ads on their streams and would rather air the agency spots, too. It’s been a headache for radio stations for a long time. Progressive, though, cuts ads specifically for internet use and is willing to pay for those breaks. Same for most of the other national retailers you hear on streams.
I agree that the ad insertion is irritating for the listener. I stream radio all day at work and am only not listening when I’m away from my desk or in a meeting. It’s frustrating for broadcasters, too, because, no matter how good you are, you’re terrible at ad insertion.
Broadcasters may need to rewrite their contracts with add agencies to allow their online stream to mirror or simulcast their “over the air” audio feed.
It’s not with the ad agencies. It’s with SAG/AFTRA, the union that requires additional compensation for their members for streaming ads.
As Lance mentioned, broadcasters don’t have a stake or even a seat at the table in union negotiations. AFTRA negotiates a contract directly with the ad agencies.
From the broadcasters’ standpoint, playing hardball with ad agencies over the streaming rule makes no sense. Agency spots pay more than local direct, and the check always clears. They can’t afford to turn that business away over something so trivial.
Ideally, broadcasters would air all local ads in their listening areas and cover the local spots with internet spots for out of area listeners. The technology exists, but ad agencies don’t allow it.