Super Hi-Fi Partners with Cumulus Media and Xperi to Debut New On-Air Radio Format Lab For Highly-Localized Programming

Nashville's "The Hill" and "Nashville Songwriter Radio" stations to be testing grounds for next generation broadcast radio services and programming in the connected car

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Super Hi-Fi, an innovation leader in radio services for broadcast and digital media companies, has partnered with Xperi, Inc. (NYSE: XPER), an entertainment technology company that owns HD Radio and DTS AutoStage, and Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS), an audio-first media company, to launch two brand new over-the-air HD Radio channels. These channels will serve as a testing ground for exciting new radio programs and related services, to further enhance and innovate broadcast radio's prominence in the digital dashboard, all while improving the user experience and increasing broadcaster benefits.

Two new HD Radio multicast stations in the Nashville area, "The Hill" and "Nashville Songwriter Radio," are available now to all legacy HD Radio equipped cars in the market on 104.5FM HD2 and HD3, powered with a combination of Xperi's HD Radio technology, Super Hi-Fi's 'Program Director' Radio Operating System, and Cumulus's Media's HD signals.

The stations will also utilize HD Radio technology and DTS AutoStage to expand listenership by delivering in-vehicle radio experiences with new levels of audience targeting, personalized discovery, audio delivery and detailed reporting and analytics.

"Super Hi-Fi is excited to collaborate with Xperi and Cumulus to create these groundbreaking HD Radio experiences," said Zack Zalon, CEO at Super Hi-Fi. "We're proud to contribute to the rich musical tapestry of Nashville by bringing these new hyper-local HD Radio formats to the market."

The new stations represent a fresh approach to local music formats, paying homage to the local flavors of Nashville. They are designed to explore the potential for using the HD Radio spectrum more broadly to deliver human-curated radio experiences that are designed to speak directly to a local audience, with local programming and a local feel.

Nashville Songwriter Radio, airing on 104.5 WGFX HD3, serves as a platform for the vibrant songwriter community in Nashville. The station features music penned and performed by local songwriters and the classic Nashville sounds that inspires them, celebrating the creative spirit and storytelling for which Nashville is renowned.

The Hill, broadcasting on 104.5 WGFX HD2, is a station designed with the tastes of high school students in mind, featuring a mix of popular and emerging music across Pop, Hip-Hop, Alternative, and Country genres. Developed in partnership with Green Hill High School in Mt Juliet, Tenn., the station offers students a unique opportunity to engage with programming and on-air activities, fostering a practical learning environment within the broadcasting field using next-generation programming and operations tools.

"We've seen incredible advances in digital audio in-home and mobile and, as the pioneer and leader in vehicle audio, Xperi is uniquely positioned to develop, test and validate broadcast services that can be rapidly deployed in connected cars," said Joe D'Angelo, SVP of Broadcast and Digital Audio at Xperi. "We see this as the logical next step in our collaboration with both the radio and automotive industries. Bringing new capabilities to the market will provide valuable services to broadcasters, advertisers and most importantly, improve the listening experience for end users."

"By partnering with Super Hi-Fi and Xperi, we are adopting innovative technology that allows us to connect to new, local communities with targeted programming by leveraging our HD radio ancillary channels that have the potential to reach different audiences around the country," said Conrad Trautmann, Chief Technology Officer of Cumulus Media.

About Super Hi-Fi

Super Hi-Fi is dedicated to the radical transformation of radio. Founded in 2018, Super Hi-Fi offers a complete and robust radio management platform powered by advanced AI. Designed to help radio companies and digital media platforms thrive, Super Hi-Fi delivers better quality listening experiences at drastically lower operational costs than legacy tools and methods. The company powers more than 2 billion radio production decisions each month for some of today's biggest brands, including Sonos Radio, iHeartRadio, Peloton, Fubo and many others. Super Hi-Fi is based in Los Angeles, California.

About Cumulus Media

Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month ? wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 403 owned-and-operated radio stations across 85 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, CNN, the AP, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across more than 9,800 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through the Cumulus Podcast Network, its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. Cumulus Media is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees.

About Xperi Inc.

Xperi invents, develops, and delivers technologies that enable extraordinary experiences. Xperi technologies, delivered via its brands (DTS®, HD Radiotm, TiVo®), and by its startup, Perceive, are integrated into billions of consumer devices and media platforms worldwide, powering smart devices, connected cars and entertainment experiences, including IMAX® Enhanced, a certification and licensing program operated by IMAX Corporation and DTS, Inc. Xperi has created a unified ecosystem that reaches highly engaged consumers, driving increased value for partners, customers and consumers.

©2024 Xperi Inc. All Rights Reserved. Xperi®, TiVo®, DTS®, HD Radiotm, Play-Fi®, Perceive® and their respective logos are trademark(s) or registered trademark(s) of Xperi Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation. All other trademarks and content are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact

Laura Morarity, Super Hi-Fi, 1 3107810283, [email protected], www.superhifi.com

SOURCE Super Hi-Fi