Yahoo! Offers Tailor Made Internet Radio Content
Internet heavyweight Yahoo! has announced the launch of its latest product, Launchcast Radio, a new service enabling users to tailor their listening to individual tastes and screen out unwanted content.
The service works by inviting users to rate their favourite artists and only playing content deemed suitable to those tastes. The service can introduce new artists to a listener automatically, but will use existing ratings to judge whether or not a listener will enjoy the new offering before deciding whether or not to deliver it.
While Yahoo! customers have been able to receive internet radio through the Launch service for a while, it is not until now that the system has allowed customisation and control of an individual’s listening. The user-guided version of Launch is dubbed Launchcast and is now available to BT Yahoo! Broadband customers in the United States, Canada and the UK.
Commenting on the new initiative, Shannon Ferguson, director of Launch Europe, said: “Since going live last summer, LAUNCH has captured a very loyal base of music users in the UK and Ireland, mirroring the success of our US site. The addition of Launchcast to our stable of leading music products and services sets the standard for Internet radio in this market. Launchcast, is tailored to serve the growing base of 3 million broadband users in the UK.”
Duncan Ingram, managing director, at BT Openworld added: “We’ve come a long way from the early adopter stage of broadband. Back then it was just about speed, now it is about content and applications. The emphasis of Launchcast is very much on delivering customised music content to you.”
The new service follows promises of increased broadband take-up from BT which is currently trialing new technology to increase the reach of high-speed internet access. If the company’s trials prove successful, an additional 1 million customers could be serviced by BT’s broadband network, further lining the company’s pockets and swelling the ranks of Yahoo subscribers (see BT To Boost Broadband Up-Take With Long Distance Trial).
Yahoo!: 020 7808 4200 www.yahoo.co.uk
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