Internet radio entrepreneurs David Minter and Albert Baldocchi have patented a system to insert advertising and other content into radio broadcasts streamed over the Internet. The concept is called, "Internet Radio System with Selective Replacement Capability."
"We thought that the Internet would be a distribution channel for conventional radio," stated Baldocchi. "Why develop new radio content just for the Internet when there is a huge base of existing radio content that can simply be re-purposed, and broadcast over the Internet?"
But the problem for the duo is most radio ads are local; if a radio station in one market is streaming content over the 'Net, and includes an ad for a car dealership, for example, that ad wouldn't pertain to a different market.
The team says they've invented and patented a process that allows Internet radio content to be swapped out and other material inserted into a station's Internet stream in real-time. Now, team hopes to work out license agreements with users.
Baldocchi is an independent consultant and investment banker to high growth companies. David Minter is president of Minter & Associates, an entertainment industry consulting practice.