GeoBroadcast Solutions has rebranded as Aktira following an ownership change that brings its MaxxCasting, ZoneCasting and Lazer technologies under a new corporate structure. The company says it is shifting toward larger commercial deployments with radio groups, advertisers and technology partners. (Radio Ink)
Aktira will retain GeoBroadcast Solutions’ intellectual property, engineering operation and existing team. Ken Shapiro has been brought in to lead commercial strategy, while Louis Santor will oversee financial planning and capital strategy.
The company’s new business model is particularly relevant to broadcasters because Aktira says it will provide the equipment required for deployment without upfront capital costs. Instead, the company plans to share in advertising revenue generated by the technology.
MaxxCasting uses synchronized FM boosters to improve coverage, while ZoneCasting allows different commercials to be inserted in geographically defined portions of an FM station’s coverage area. Lazer adds visual and attribution capabilities to compatible receivers.
Aktira says MaxxCasting has been completed or initiated in more than 15 deployments, representing an estimated 13 million incremental listeners.
The company is also pursuing enterprise agreements with larger broadcast groups rather than negotiating station by station and says it is raising additional equity and debt capital to accelerate deployment.
Source: Aktira