Google positioning for move into U.S. radio from Reuters has Google saying that Google Audio Ads will begin testing by the end of the year. Google says over time, up to 1,000 Googlers might be involved. The article, as does Google to Boost Scope Of Radio-Ad Sales Business from the Wall Street Journal , touches on the idea that a deal involving a radio player like Clear Channel might kick start things. But rumors of talks remain that, rumors. Meanwhile, I still find myself amazed that Google is doing absolutely nothing in terms of podcasts. Online video, it can't do enough about, in hopes of grabbing ad money. But online audio it seems content to ignore, instead heading off into offline audio with radio. Setting up Google Audio feels like a missed opportunity.
Postscript: Donna Bogatin over at Digital Micro-Markets dropped me an email to say she wrote about this yesterday, before the Reuters story came out.
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