MOBILE POWERS ONLINE GROWTH.

No matter how you slice it, streaming continues to surge.  But increasingly, that new wave of growth is coming from mobile phone distribution.  One of the big drivers in the growth of mobile streaming is exclusive content.   By using celebrity hosts, broadcasters are also ripping a page from the satellite radio playbook.   There are also a growing number of sponsor-branded channels.

Clear Channel says year-over-year listening to its online stations shot up 34% from summer 2008 to summer 2009 with a new peak audience of 250,000 simultaneous listeners.  Prior to a March 2008 partnership with America Online, CBS Radio’s peak audience was approximately 125,000 concurrent listeners.  By adding AOL Radio, Yahoo Radio and most recently its profile on Windows Media Guide, CBS says it had a recent peak of 417,000 concurrent listeners on all online platforms.

Streaming accounts for about 8-10% of the total weekly CBS audience, while Clear Channel says online has increased its listenership by 16%.  As consumers download streaming apps in droves — 3.5 million for CC’s iheartradio, 7 million for CBS Radio’s various platforms and 11 million for Internet pureplay Pandora — mobile is powering a new wave in online radio growth. In September, nearly 2 million new users registered for Pandora’s personalized radio service.  Of that about 200,000 a week registered via their smart phone, according to SVP Cheryl Lucanegro.

One of the big drivers in the growth of mobile streaming is exclusive content, according to Clear Channel Radio Digital SVP Paul Miraldi.  Web-only channels, such as Stripped, Pride Radio and streams devoted to major acts such as the Eagles, Weezer and Christina Aguilera account for 24% of mobile listening to iheartradio.  “Differentiated programming that you can’t get terrestrially is helping boost our mobile numbers,” Miraldi says.  Look for Clear Channel to launch more artist channels that coincide with major new releases — a programming strategy used for years at Sirius XM.

“The amount of listening taking place on mobile devices is pretty astonishing,” says CBS Radio chief technology officer Oli Stephenson, with the largest chunk occurring via the iPhone.  NPR is experiencing similar growth.  “Mobile is a way to grow NPR and commercial radio to larger audiences and to new listeners,” says NPR product manager for mobile Demian Perry.  “It could be as big as [over-the-air] radio someday.”

Monetizing online streams has also ushered in product-branded radio.  When Macy’s media planners were targeting 18-24 year-olds for back-to-school shopping, Clear Channel’s proposal included an online station expressly built for the department store chain.  Red Star Radio, a rhythmic CHR assembled by the broadcaster’s digital division, helped Clear Channel seal the deal on an integrated marketing campaign for the retailer.  In addition to streaming audio spots, Macy’s brand is baked into the station’s imaging with slogans like “The magic of Macy’s: Red Star Radio.”

Marketers launching their own online radio stations isn’t new.  A broadcaster placing a product-branded stream in a high profile position on its online audio platform  is.  Red Star Radio shares premium shelf space with Stripped and Radio Weezer at iheartradio.com. “We created an audio brand to match the Macys’s brand and it became one of  our top performing stations,” says.  More are on the launch pad. “We’re looking for creative ways to monetize these stations,” Miraldi adds.