FCC Commissioner Starks' Visit two Las Vegas Stations

LAS VEGAS, October 11, 2024 - On Tuesday, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) visited KADD and KXLI radio stations in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he witnessed firsthand the cutting-edge implementation of MaxxCasting™ technology and the transformative potential for ZoneCasting™ technology, approved earlier this year by the FCC. 

In his remarks to the station staff, Commissioner Starks commended KADD for its leadership in embracing innovative technologies. He emphasized the significance of these technologies in promoting community-specific content, particularly for minority communities, and expressed his pride in the FCC’s role in making this technology available.

During the visit, Commissioner Starks was introduced to the station’s vision for utilizing ZoneCasting™, which will enable KADD to broadcast hyperlocal content and sell advertising tailored specifically to different communities in distinct geographical areas. 

Las Vegas itself will operate as one zone, encompassing the main signal and three boosters that will deliver content specific to the Las Vegas area. St. George, Utah, forms another distinct zone, with four boosters broadcasting content customized for St. George without relying on the main Las Vegas signal. 

This capability allows KADD to broadcast specialized content to different states, across different time zones, and, when necessary, even in different languages—creating new opportunities for audience engagement and revenue generation.

As part of the demonstration, Commissioner Starks was taken on a driving tour to observe the seamless handoffs between three antenna sources in the Las Vegas zone. This showed how MaxxCasting™ technology facilitates uninterrupted and robust coverage, particularly in challenging broadcast environments, with signal boosts translating into a 289.5% increase in car stereo signal reach and a 132.8% increase in in-building signal reach.

"The overall increase in market coverage will allow our stations to better serve the growing Latino community of Southern Nevada," said Fabian Saldivar, Programming Director and On-Air Talent at Radio Activo Broadcasting. "The ability to target specific zones with ZoneCasting™ gives us a competitive edge, enabling us to reach underserved areas and tailor our marketing strategies to meet the unique needs of each community."

One of the most promising aspects of this deployment is KADD's ability to deliver tailored content to the underserved Hispanic community in St. George, Utah, which previously had no access to Spanish-language radio programming. The implementation of ZoneCasting™ will enable the station to customize content and advertising for different areas, unlocking new streams of revenue while maintaining high-quality service to all areas within the station’s licensed reach. 

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