While I went back to my beer fumes, the folks at iM Networks went out and built it. And it's available now. Small broadcasters who address niche audiences can leverage iM Networks' bulk broadband purchases and suddenly open themselves up to an audience that competes with any Clear Channel station. And also start making some money. The huge opt-in base allows media buyers to make very targeted buys.
Planners can also target specific radio stations or types of stations.
Whatever station is being listened to when the ad runs receives 65 percent of the ad revenue. And unlike pre-roll messages that can run before online video or audio content, adding to the clutter of online media by stuffing ads into every conceivable place, ads on iM Networks simply replace existing radio ads. This means that listeners are not exposed to more ads, just more targeted ones. Currently, average session times on iM Networks are more than an hour. I can believe it.