FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, appearing on the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) “Let It Be Known” live morning news program, said that radio geo-targeting is one thing at the top of his agenda.
It’s a huge win for GeoBroadcast Solutions, which seeks Commission approval of FM booster program origination.
It is hardly a surprise that Starks is in favor of geo-targeting. Both he and Democratic FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel have been advocates of diversity in broadcast media ownership, and bringing more opportunities to multicultural and women-owned licensees is likely tied to the push for “ZoneCasting.”
The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) support using FM Boosters for program origination. That technology is at the core of GeoBroadcast Services’ ZoneCasting technology.
The NAB doesn’t want it. Starks will likely vote for the GBS proposal.
On the news program, he said that radio geo-targeting, the digital divide, digital redlining, and overall access to the internet for Black and brown communities are at the top of his agenda at the Commission.
Speaking with program host Stacy Brown and NNPA President/CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., Starks said, “ZoneCasting is an innovation, a new technology that’s before me as a commissioner. The ability to use boosting to better locally advertise. I have been honored to hear from the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and so many of their colleagues there who have made clear that this makes sense for small Black and brown radio stations that this makes great sense.”
Starks added that he is working with his colleagues “to make sure they know and recognize the value of increasing the ability of small Black and brown radio stations to better advertise and have hyper-local advertising.”
