GeoBroadcast Solutions has named an advisory board to help it roll out its geotargeting business in the radio industry.
GBS is the developer of ZoneCasting FM technology; its petition led the FCC recently to allow limited geotargeting each hour.
The co-chairs of the company’s new national advisory board are David Honig, president emeritus and senior advisor for the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.
Members include Tish Bazil, senior advisor to Chavis; Ryan McGinness, senior vice president at R&R Partners; Steve Roberts, CEO and founder of Roberts Radio Broadcasting Co.; and an unnamed “respected member from the financial community.”
GBS separately listed senior advisors to the advisory board. They include Ron Busby, chairman and CEO of US Black Chamber of Commerce; Amador Bustos, president/CEO of Bustos Media; William Lacy Clay, US Black Chamber of Commerce; Sherman Kizart, founder of Kizart Media Partners; and Jim Winston, president of the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters’ USBC Division.
“This distinguished group will play a crucial role in advising GBS leadership on innovations and market technologies that help radio broadcasters better serve their local communities, grow revenues and expand the sustainability of radio,” GBS said in its announcement.
GBS said the board will advise it on applications for the technologies. “The board will focus on ensuring that communities, particularly minority and underserved populations, are better served through customized messaging, emergency notifications and expanded public service broadcasting,” it said.
“Additionally, the board will help establish protocols for broadcasters to activate these systems nationwide, ensuring that small, minority-owned businesses can seize opportunities to broadcast relevant, localized content.”
The FCC gave unanimous approval to the technology in April, limiting local origination to three minutes per hour, despite strong opposition from the National Association of Broadcasters. The commission has yet to create the final rules for processing, licensing and service. GBS has pushed the FCC to finalize the rules and asked the commission to be open to expanding the three-minute limitation in the future.
Applications to start geotargeting are in process in 10 U.S. markets, the company said. It said work on one installation has begun in Nevada.
Chris Devine is founder and CEO of GeoBroadcast Solutions.
