Apple is working with iPod dock makers JBL and Polk on a system that allows anything heard on an HD Radio/iPod dock system to be tagged and sent to an iPod, which will later be transferred to iTunes. Once on iTunes, a playlist is presented where users can purchase any tracks they heard while listening to HD Radio. iBiquity will be working with HD Radio stations to make this iTunes Tagging an industry-wide standard.
Polk will release the i-Sonic ES2 iPod dock first which will feature the Tag button, followed by the JBl iHD this holiday season. There are plans for Tag buttons to be placed in cars and more iPod docks in 2008.
Apple, Polk Audio and iBiquity Digital announced today that consumers who hear a song on an HD Radio station and want to preview, buy and download it will soon be able to do that with just the touch of a button (see press release below).
The new 'iTunes Tagging' feature will allow consumers to not only download songs they have known for years, but also sample and download new songs from new artists. It is the perfect link with the broad reach of radio, which continues to be the place where most consumers are introduced to new music and new artists.
Here's how it works: iTunes Tagging enables consumers using HD Radio receivers that have been equipped with a special 'Tag' button, to tag songs that they hear on the FM dial. Information about these tagged songs is then stored by the receiver and transferred to the individual's iPod. When the iPod is connected to a computer, the new iTunes software automatically presents the songs in a Tagged playlist so that the consumer can preview, buy and download them.
The announcement was made earlier today at the CEDIA Expo in Denver in conjunction with Polk Audio's launch of the first iTunes tagging-enabled HD Radio receiver, the I-Sonic™ Entertainment System 2. The JBL iHD will also include the Tag button. Both products will go on sale during the holiday shopping season, and it is anticipated that several additional products that include the Tag button for both the home and the car will follow in early 2008.
There are more than 1,400 AM and FM stations broadcasting with HD Radio technology across the country, with more upgrading to digital every day. For more information, please visit www.hdradio.com.
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iTunes Tagging for HD Radio Broadcasting Announced
New, free HD Radio™ application enhances consumer music discovery and broadens local radio broadcaster ability to capitalize on digital commerce space
Columbia, Maryland, September 6, 2007 - Responding to the desire of millions of people who discover music via their favorite local radio broadcasts, Apple, iBiquity Digital, and major radio broadcasting groups unveiled today the result of an industry-wide initiative to create a new, free service called "iTunes Tagging."
iTunes Tagging is designed to make music discovery, purchase and listening even more fun and simple for all. iTunes Tagging enables consumers using HD Radio receivers that have been equipped with a special Tag button, to "tag" songs that they hear on the FM dial for subsequent purchase via iTunes.
"iTunes tagging takes music discovery on the radio to the next level," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of iPod Product Marketing. "When a song plays on your HD Radio that you like, a simple push of a button will tag it and later give you the chance to preview, purchase, and enjoy it with iTunes and your iPod."
ob Struble, CEO of iBiquity Digital, the developer of HD Radio technology, said, "Research consistently shows that radio is the predominant source of music discovery. Now, with iTunes Tagging, HD Radio technology provides a cool new way to capture the songs listeners discover, buy them on iTunes and then enjoy them. We are especially pleased that so many broadcasters came together so quickly for the initial launch." Several major broadcasters will implement iTunes Tagging, initially across hundreds of stations. Additional stations and broadcast groups are expected to join soon, with a formal announcement of participating groups planned for later this year at the NAB Radio convention, September 26 - 28.
Struble continued, "We are delighted that JBL and Polk will have the first available products that enable iTunes Tagging. The new Polk I-Sonic® Entertainment System 2 and the JBL iHD will both include the Tag button. These products will go on sale during the holiday shopping season and we anticipate several additional products that include the Tag button for both the home and the car to follow in early 2008."
Peter Ferrara, CEO of the HD Digital Radio Alliance, the coalition of radio broadcasters formed to promote HD Radio technology commented on the broadcasters' promotional plan for iTunes Tagging, saying, "The HD Digital Radio Alliance is tremendously excited about this great new HD Radio feature and will broadly promote iTunes Tagging. We plan a multi-million dollar advertising campaign focusing on the JBL and Polk products, as well as participating retailers."
Mark Mays, CEO of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. commented, "Clear Channel Radio remains committed to being the leader in HD Digital Radio content on both primary and multicast channels, and our embrace of iTunes Tagging is just the latest step in that leadership. We believe that HD Digital Radio innovations such as this will continue to open up additional and new services for consumers and revenue opportunities for broadcasters."