Mobile Phones Steer Listeners Clear Of LA Traffic; KFWB Radio Station Launches Mobile Traffic Alert
Written by KFWB
Monday, 06 June 2005
Vienna, Va. – June 6, 2005 – KFWB (http://www.kfwb.com), Los Angeles’ station for news, traffic and weather, The Mobile Media Company (www.mobilemedia.com), Westwood One and 3United Mobile Solutions (www.3united.com), today announced the launch of the KFWB Traffic On Demand service that will help listeners dodge the infamous Los Angeles traffic by receiving customized traffic text messages on their cell phones.
KFWB’s Traffic On Demand goes live just as the 2005 Urban Mobility Report (http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/media_information/news_release.stm), published by the Texas Transportation Institute, announced that North America’s traffic troubles are growing worse, costing Americans $63.1 billion a year. “For years, KFWB has been known as the station for ‘Traffic On The Ones’, traffic reports every ten minutes. Now we’re excited to offer up-to-date traffic information whenever someone needs it,” says David Hall Vice President of AM Programming for KFWB.
Available to the majority of Los Angeles mobile phone subscribers, KFWB Traffic On Demand can be easily accessed by sending a chosen route number via text message to telephone number 98011. The traffic status of that highway is then sent via return text message, at a cost of $0.75 per message.
In addition to KFWB’s own traffic reports, further traffic information is supplied by Westwood One with 3United providing the application that enables the information to be used on mobile phones. Mobile Media is providing the connectivity to the mobile network operators and manages the mobile messaging platform.
“KFWB Traffic On Demand requires no initial subscriptions, no up front fees or complicated sign up procedure,” says Steinar Svalesen, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Media North America. “Being so easy to use, we expect to see L.A. drivers use the service on a very regular basis.”
“Experience shows that sending a one word text message to an easy-to-remember short number and receiving an immediate response encourages people to use the service as part of their daily lives,” says Ben Goodspeed, CEO of 3United. “Drivers will come to rely more often on receiving the information they want, when they want it, directly to the palm of their hands.”
"Westwood One is thrilled to be working together with 3United, KFWB and Mobile Media on the launch of this exciting technological innovation in the traffic arena,” says Pat LaPlatney, Executive Vice-President of Westwood One. “We look forward to better serving the listening community in Southern California through the rollout of this outstanding new product."
KFWB is the source for news in Southern California, with “Traffic On The Ones” – traffic updates every ten minutes. Owned by Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, the station recognized a high demand for live traffic news that could be accessed anytime, from anywhere, by their listeners.
“When Southern California listens for Traffic news, they listen to KFWB,” says Hall. “Commuters in L.A. are stuck in traffic 93 hours a year. The beauty of our mobile traffic alert service is that it will actually save people time and money by helping them to avoid hot spots and jams.”
For more information about the KFWB Mobile Traffic Information services, visit www.kfwb.com.
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