GBS FCC Filing Rebuffs iHeartMedia's Geo-Broadcast Claims

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 5:51pm CT

In a filing with the FCC, GeoBroadcast Solutions responded to iHeartMedia's recent filing criticizing a proposal before the Commission to permit all FM stations to geo-target content using FM boosters. GBS claims that iHeartMedia's own radio outlets enables its stations to provide geo-targeting services to advertisers.

GBS wrote that "iHeart belabors technical distinctions between its AdBuilder platform and the proposed use of FM boosters to geo-target content, perhaps to distract from the fundamental point that a prominent feature of the two technologies is the same: to enable advertisers to reach their intended audience both contextually and geographically."

"Unlike the AdBuilder capability, however, the proposed rule change also would enable broadcasters to serve their local community better by offering listeners geo-targeted news, weather, traffic, and emergency information. This change clearly enhances localism by making the content and advertising more relevant (which reduces tune away), and there is no suggestion that iHeart's technology enhances the public interest in that manner," continued GBS.

GBS also notes that all other forms of media technology -- ATSC 3.0 Broadcast TV, Cable TV Zones, Digital/Social/Mobile Geofencing and multiple iHeart radio stations with AdBuilder -- are geo-targeting capable. GBS also claims that AdBuilder offers geo-targeting on a station level, whereas the pending proposal would permit targeting within a market and that many broadcasters who support the rule change want the ability to deliver targeted content for part of a broadcast hour "to better compete with the advantages iHeart enjoys by dint of its tremendous station count."

In a recent ex parte filing, iHeart says that the proposed rule change would burden broadcasters economically. However, GBS says the proposed rule would permit the use of geo-targeting technology on a voluntary basis, so it imposes costs on no one.