Clear Channel Releases New BlackBerry App With Verizon’s Help; Android Version Coming Soon

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Clear Channel Releases New BlackBerry App With Verizon’s Help; Android Version Coming Soon

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We may be seeing the early beginnings of Verizon Wireless’s partnership with Research In Motion. Clear Channel (NYSE: CCMO) Radio is announcing on Thursday a new version of its popular iheartradio streaming-radio app that will be unique to BlackBerry devices running on Verizon’s network. Clear Channel said it worked closely with Verizon to integrate the carrier’s V Cast music store into the app, so that users can purchase full-track downloads, ringtones and ringback tones. Users will also be able to watch music videos and other content.

In July, Verizon formed a partnership with Research In Motion, so that the handset-maker would embed the carrier’s app store—called V Cast Apps—on to the phones, rather than BlackBerry’s own App World. As incentive to developers and publishers, like Clear Channel, Verizon is offering access to its billing platform, location information and now it also sounds like content.

There’s no word on whether Clear Channel will get a slice of the revenues for generating a sale through its application, but the company has been fairly bullish about mobile as an overall platform. In March, the Clear Channel told mocoNews that its total listening audience grew by 15 percent because of its online and mobile efforts. Clear Channel says the iheartradio app has more than 400 radio stations today, including local stations that can be streamed anywhere, and artist-specific stations, such as Christina Aguilera or Megadeth. It has been downloaded more than four million times. To date, it has been available on the iPhone and BlackBerry, but a version will launch on Android devices in time for Christmas.

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By Tricia Duryee