Westwood One, Google Get Smart During March Madness

Westwood One and Google LLC, have announced an innovative collaboration directly integrating Westwood One’s exclusive live NCAA March Madness programming on smart devices with the Google Assistant.

Fans can now hear Westwood One’s live coverage of NCAA March Madness on Google Assistant speakers and displays. Westwood One is the Official Network Radio partner of the NCAA. Google is the Official Public Cloud provider of the NCAA.

Putting the fan first, Google Assistant users can listen to all of the upsets and buzzer-beaters with a simple voice command. Google Assistant will take users directly to the live audio stream when they say, ‘Hey Google, play NCAA March Madness on Westwood One.”

 Collaborating to directly integrate premium live content is the first innovation project between Westwood One and Google. Bringing the live NCAA live stream to listeners together breaks new ground for both companies, coming just as Triton Digital released new data that 19% of total listening hours to AM/FM radio streams occurred on smart speakers in January 2019.

"Westwood One has the largest network of custom voice apps in the country, but this is the first time our content will be natively integrated in a voice eco-system,” said Suzanne Grimes, EVP, Marketing for Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One. “Innovating with Google on our high demand NCAA March Madness coverage delivers against our promise to serve our fans with live content whenever and however they want to listen.”

Cumulus Media and Google will promote the integration across multiple owned and operated properties for the duration of NCAA March Madness through the Final Four games.  For more info visit googleassistant.com.