FM goes talkback: Nova audience can speak with Amazon’s Alexa

• Nova Entertainment said its vision is to transform the way people listen to radio

Nova Entertainment has announced the launch of a unique, voice-activated experience for the Nova audience, with the release of a Amazon Alexa skill.

With the availability of Nova on Alexa, listeners will be able to interact with a live radio broadcast via voice commands. Through Alexa, they will be able to ask Nova “Who sings this song?”, “What song is this?” and “What show am I listening to?” or tell Nova that they love a song or want to change the station.

Users will also be able to switch between live broadcast radio and on-demand (catch-up) audio, allowing them to browse through the network’s library of top-rated shows, and even tell Nova which shows they like or dislike.

Fayad Tohme, Nova Entertainment’s chief digital officer

Nova Entertainment said its vision is to transform the way people listen to radio, by delivering an interactive, connected and personalised experience that provides an easy way for the audience to listen to what they want, when they want.

In the coming months, Nova Entertainment is promising to release new capabilities to further enhance the user’s experience and introduce unique advertising propositions for clients.

With Google’s audio platform, Home, also part of their digital voice plans, Nova views interactive radio as a new way to engage with its audience, while providing a unique advertising platform for clients.

Fayad Tohme, Nova Entertainment’s chief digital officer said, “Smart speakers, voice UX and constantly-improving AI voice services are becoming increasingly important for audio publishers. The mass adoption of voice-enabled devices and conversational experiences is accelerating – with audio content consumption a key driver to its growth. Nova Entertainment’s ambition is to become the Australian market leader in conversational experiences.”

The relationship with Alexa is another addition to Nova Entertainment’s digital portfolio which includes GOAT, the mobile-only, millennial platform, as well as the company’s partnership with podcast platform Acast.

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