Yahoo and CBS Radio have entered into an agreement under which CBS Radio will power Yahoo’s free Internet radio service, Launchcast Radio.
Launchcast’s 150 stations and more than 150 CBS Radio stations will be combined in early 2009, with CBS Radio assuming sales responsibility.
Yahoo’s news and sports sections will feature some of CBS Radio’s top-ranked radio stations, including WFAN in New York. A new CBS Radio player will be integrated into the Yahoo Music site, and Yahoo News and Sports also will incorporate players dedicated to those topics. Launchcast would be available to Firefox, Mac and Safari users.
This partnership will offer marketers extended reach in online radio advertising.
“Yahoo has always been focused on national advertisers and national brands,” said Michael Spiegelman, head of Yahoo Music. “Traditionally radio has a lot of local advertisers involved in it so this partnership will really give those advertisers a lot more access into our radio products.”
Spiegelman said the partnership also would keep Yahoo’s royalty and publishing rates from rising in the current economic climate.
Yahoo music currently has 3 million unique users per month.
