Google to serve up radio ads

Google has reached an agreement with broadcaster Clear Channel Radio to power the stations' radio ads.

The deal will give Google the ability to broker ads for over 675 radio stations with its Google Audio Ads system. The 30-second advertising spots will be offered to retailers through Google's AdSense program. The commercials will then be delivered directly to the stations through their content management software.

Both Google and Clear Channel hope that the new system will open the doors for online advertisers that had not previously considered radio advertising or had been unable to advertise in other local markets outside of their own.

The move also marks the second expansion of Google's advertising platform in as many weeks. The search company earlier this month agreed to sell ads on the DISH Network satellite TV system through AdSense.

Google has been trying to move into the radio advertising business since January of 2006. Online advertising has always been the backbone of Google's business model, accounting for virtually all of the company's US$10.6b in revenue last year. Expanding to radio and TV advertising offers a way to diversity the company's revenue stream.

Clear Channel is the largest radio company in the United States, claiming over 110 million listeners. The company also operates TV stations and billboards throughout the country, which will not be part of the Google program.

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