United Stations, an independent leader in the creation and marketing of network radio programming and services, Audacy, a leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment company, and AccuWeather, the acknowledged leader in Superior Accuracy
and weather forecasting services for broadcasters, are pleased to announce the extension and expansion of their three-way partnership via a new, multi-year agreement. The new deal provides for the continuation of AccuWeather’s services on existing Audacy affiliates, which include the most prestigious news radio stations in America, and it also adds fourteen (14) new Audacy stations to the list of AccuWeather outlets including FM stations in New York City, Detroit, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Memphis, and Buffalo.
Additionally, AccuWeather, Audacy and United Stations collaborated on the creation of the newly introduced “Social Plus” service as well as the “AccuWeather Weather Protection Plan.” Both are expanded weather services that provide affiliates access to weather forecasts and expert reporting from AccuWeather meteorologists before, during and after severe weather events along with social media posts on the affiliates’ social media platforms. These additional AccuWeather services and the enhancements that they bring to each affiliate were key ingredients in the renewal process as well as important components to fulfill the needs of Audacy’s FM stations.
Several factors led to the creation of these new weather services for radio. For starters, incidents of all types of severe weather have doubled in the last 20 years pushing broadcasters to be better prepared to serve their communities during dangerous and life-threatening events when seconds count. Simultaneously, radio stations have evolved and expanded the platforms that they utilize to communicate with their audiences. As a cutting-edge leader in audience engagement, Audacy’s content team recognized that new ways to utilize AccuWeather’s legacy as the nation’s most trusted provider of weather forecasts would be invaluable to their local brands.
In marking the renewal and expansion of the three-way partnership, Fred Bennett, Senior Vice President of Revenue Analytics and Networks, Audacy, said “Our local radio station brands are deeply embedded in each of their communities, and this partnership helps us solidify our commitment to delivering the kinds of information that they depend on and trust.”
AccuWeather’s Ken Prehl added, “Developing new and creative ways of delivering the best weather forecasts, warnings and data around is always energizing, but it becomes extra compelling when we are helping legendary radio stations continue to fulfill their fundamental roles as broadcasters. Weather is still “lean in” content, and we are extremely excited and proud to extend this important partnership.”
At United Stations, Chief Revenue Officer Greg Janoff added, “Our job is to bring together great content, essential services and the most powerful brands in radio so that our marketing partners are in the most impactful environment possible. When you are talking about brands like 1010 WINS, WCBS 880, WBBM, and WWJ it’s an impressive universe, and now that we are adding major market FM stations to the mix, it’s a milestone moment for everyone involved.”
AccuWeather, recognized and documented as the most accurate source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, has saved tens of thousands of lives, prevented hundreds of thousands of injuries and tens of billions of dollars in property damage. With global headquarters in State College, PA and other offices around the world, AccuWeather serves more than 1.5 billion people daily to help them plan their lives and get more out of their day through digital media properties, such as AccuWeather.com and mobile, as well as radio, television, newspapers, and the 24/7 AccuWeather Network channel and AccuWeather NOW streaming service. AccuWeather For Business serves more than half of Fortune 500 companies and thousands of businesses globally.
AccuWeather produces and distributes news, weather content, and video for more than 180,000 third-party websites. Among AccuWeather’s many innovative and award-winning features available free to the public are MinuteCast® forecasts with Minute by Minute® updates and Superior Accuracy
Audacy, Inc. (NYSE: AUD) is a leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment company with the country’s best collection of local music, news and sports brands, a premium podcast creator, major event producer, and digital innovator. Audacy engages 200 million consumers each month, bringing people together around content that matters to them. Learn more at www.audacyinc.com, Facebook (Audacy Corp) and Twitter (@AudacyCorp).
United Stations Media Networks is a division of United Stations Radio Networks, Inc., and is America’s leading independently owned and operated radio network. USRN currently produces and distributes dozens of format-specific programs and services accounting for over 5000 affiliations with commercial radio stations across the country. The New York-based company maintains programming, sales and affiliate marketing offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, and Nashville. USRN was founded in 1994 by radio pioneers Dick Clark and Nick Verbitsky.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com