Yahoo! Tries Interruption-Free Web Radio, Chrysler Sponsors

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Yahoo Music signed Chrysler to sponsor four commercial-free channels on the free version of its LAUNCHcast online radio service. Yahoo dubbed the program "Listen Now!" and is promoting it across the portal.

Four "stations" will present Chrysler-sponsored music programming free of commercial interruption. Chrysler branding appears on the player window and on the LAUNCHcast front page. Additionally, at the start of each audio stream, a 21-second spot identifies Chrysler as the stream sponsor.

Listen Now! Launched last month. The companies wouldn't discuss financial terms, but called the ad deal one of the biggest buys ever on Yahoo's Internet radio service.

Each month will feature three or four Chrysler-sponsored channels. For July, the stations include "Classical," sponsored by Chrysler Convertibles, "Today's Big Hits," which has Chrysler SRT branding, and two more stations featuring the Chrysler 300.

The program will be promoted across several of Yahoo's applications and content offerings, including the Yahoo Music Engine, Yahoo Messenger and in the left hand navigation on all LAUNCHcast pages.

For Yahoo, the commercial-free experiment with Chrysler also functions as a teaser for LAUNCHcast Plus, its premium ad-free subscription service.