Listeners to curate Southern Cross Austereo content through Omny app
Radio network Southern Cross Austereo has partnered with Melbourne startup Omny to make all of its content available on an app that allows listeners to choose their own lineup of listening as well as check emails, news and the weather.
The app launched yesterday in the Apple App Store for iPhone gives listeners the opportunity to choose from thousands of hours of content from the SCA radio networks such as The Today Network and Triple M and intersperse it with their own music on iTunes, Spotify, Rdio or Songl.
Clive Dickens, director of digital and innovation for Southern Cross Austereo 
said the model is very different from digital radio streams such as iHeart which launched in Australia last year through a partnership with the Australian Radio Network (ARN).“Omny has no SCA streams, it allows you to create your own personal content, from whatever you want, so you can listen to Fifi and Jules, or Hamish and Andy, and listen to rock music in between if that’s what you like,” he said.
The app also provides listeners with updates from news, weather, as well as their email and Facebook accounts.
“We believe radio is not just about music, it’s about all the other content. It’s differentiated by the personalities or the news or sport shows. What makes your radio station unique is all the other stuff between the songs,” Dickens said.
By investing in Omny and forming a partnership with the startup the company is taking a long term view in radio by giving listeners the opportunity to create their own content, said Dickens, who joined SCA 10 months ago.
Initially the app, which is free to subscribers, has been launched without advertising as it seeks to build an audience, however it will be commercialised in future, although a premium ad-free app will also be made available.
Omny was founded by three digital entrepreneurs, who developed 78 builds of the app before testing it by launching it first in the Melbourne market late last year.
Andrew Armstrong, co-founder and CTO of Omny said: “Partnering with Southern Cross Austereo lets us accelerate our vision to improve the way people enjoy radio. Now Omny users can include the best radio content in their personal radio station alongside streamed music from their chosen provider and personal social updates.”
Great work Omny!!
Awesome partnership, great vision by both parties.
Mobile + Radio = endless possibilities
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Except if you’re in a regional area. In which case you can have the chat but not the rock. Brilliantly thought through.
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