Cumulus Plans ZoneCasting Launch at Boston's WXLO

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, October 30, 2026 | 1:36pm CT

WXLO-FM (104.5 XLO) in Boston

Cumulus Media plans to introduce ZoneCasting technology at WXLO-FM (104.5 XLO) in Boston during the first quarter of 2027, enabling the station to air different commercials simultaneously in separate geographic portions of the market.

The deployment, announced in partnership with Aktira, will allow WXLO to deliver targeted advertising in a designated zone east of Route 128 while listeners outside that area continue to receive the station's primary broadcast.

Advertisers could use the service to promote specific retail locations or offers to listeners within the zone while a different commercial airs elsewhere. Cumulus said the technology will give local, regional and national businesses additional flexibility to tailor campaigns within Greater Boston.

The initiative also complements Cumulus' use of Xperi's DTS AutoStage platform, which provides near-real-time information about in-car radio listening. "Cumulus is bringing together two complementary technologies to make local radio more relevant and measurable," said Cumulus Media Vice President/Market Manager Bob Goodell.

Goodell said more than 90,000 connected vehicles in Boston provide daily radio listening data through DTS AutoStage, offering insight into where in-car listening occurs. ZoneCasting will allow the station to deliver selected advertising and content to specific portions of the market.

"Together, they allow our customers to better take advantage of where people are listening, not just where they live," he said.

"Cumulus is demonstrating what the next generation of local radio can look like," said GeoBroadcast Solutions CEO Chris Devine. "This deployment preserves the broad reach of FM while giving the station greater flexibility to serve the distinct communities within a large, diverse market."