Top U.S. Radio Company Switches to Flash Technology to Reach Millions of Online Listeners
SAN JOSE, Calif.–Clear Channel Radio, Inc. and Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that Clear Channel has chosen the AdobeÂź FlashÂź Platform for its digital audio and video solution. A beta version based on the Adobe Flash Platform is now available at iheartradio.com and will start rolling out to radio station sites over the next few weeks. Adobe Flash Player â already installed on more than 98 percent of Internet-connected desktops â will enable listeners to tune in to Clear Channel stations on the Web without having to download additional software.
âWe switched to the Adobe Flash Platform to bring the highest-quality experience to our listeners and advertising partners,â said Paul Miraldi, senior vice president of programming and marketing for Clear Channel Radioâs Digital Division. âFlash technology allows us to present hundreds of stations and literally thousands of pieces of on demand content, from songs and music videos to exclusive performances and news footage in the most ubiquitous and easy-to-use format.â
Clear Channelâs network of over 850 radio station Web sites reaches over 22 million unique visitors and delivers nearly 40 million on-demand plays of music videos, exclusive artist performances, celebrity interviews, station-created comedy bits and more each month. Streaming, or the simulcast of on-air broadcasts, adds up to 15 percent to its on-air audience. The new media player based on Flash technology at iheartradio aggregates over 350 radio station streams, as well as thousands of songs and videos on demand, photo galleries, artist interviews, ringtones and song lyrics. Clear Channelâs content can be heard on-air, online and via mobile devices.
âAs a recognized broadcast leader, Clear Channel is at the forefront of transforming the way popular radio entertainment is delivered,â said Jim Guerard, vice president and general manager of Dynamic Media at Adobe. âWe look forward to working with Clear Channel to leverage the advanced capabilities of the Adobe Flash Platform and provide an end-to-end solution that helps Clear Channel engage listeners, while also lowering the cost of development, quality assurance, and support.â
Reaching Fans via the No. 1 Platform for Video on the Web
The Adobe Flash Platform is a complete system of integrated tools, frameworks, clients and servers for the development of Web applications, content and video that runs consistently across operating systems and devices. Adobe Flash Player delivers unparalleled creative options, highly engaging user experiences, stunning audio/video playback and virtually universal reach across operating systems, enabling virtually anyone to view and interact with a vast selection of rich content.
Adobe Flash Media Server software is the engine streaming the audio, delivering 1.5 petabytes of high-quality live audio content per month around the clock in High Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding (HE-AAC) format. Adobe Flash Media Server software will also stream on-demand video such as music videos and live performances as part of the service. With the Adobe Flash Platform, Clear Channel can deploy consistent, high-impact audio and video across all major platforms and browsers.
In addition to Clear Channel, major broadcasters and media companies including BBC, Disney.com, HULU and PBS utilize the Flash Platform to deliver video on demand and streaming content to viewers around the world. Flash technology is also used to deliver online streaming events on MLB.com and DirectTV and the platform powers social networks sites YouTube and MySpace.
About Adobe Systems Incorporated
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