Google is allowing some of its existing online marketers to use its automated advertising system to broadcast ads on radio stations around the United States, the company said on Thursday.


The beta test of Google Audio Ads is the result of the integration of technology from Google's acquisition of radio advertising company dMarc Broadcasting nearly a year ago.


The test is limited to just over 20 Google AdWords customers and more than 730 stations, including XM Satellite radio, said Ryan Steelberg, head of radio operations for Google and a co-founder of dMarc.


The radio ads are running in more than 260 metropolitan markets, covering about 87 percent of the country, he said.


"We've been rewriting the entire dMarc protocol and system in Google technology," Steelberg said. "The core is on Google technology."


Full article:  ZDNet News