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For years, radio’s use of metadata—from RDS to HD—has been more theoretical than transformational. But according to Quu CEO Steve Newberry, that era is ending.
“We’re beginning to see that there are some real revenue opportunities available,” Newberry said during an on-site interview at the Nautel Technology Forum at NAB Show 2026. “How do we go from this idea… to reality?”
Newberry pointed to Quu’s annual dashboard study as evidence that the industry has reached an inflection point. Based on an analysis of the top-selling vehicles, the report shows that “100% of the cars have FM,” while “98% of the vehicles” now support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Even more telling: “68% of the top 100 selling vehicles have multiple screens. This is not a fad. This is our future.”
That evolution, he argued, leads to a simple conclusion: “Radio must be visual.”
To illustrate how that plays out in practice, Newberry turned to Max Media VP Keith Barton, whom he described as “one of, if not the, leading users of the technology.” Barton’s stations in the Norfolk, VA market have leaned heavily into visual metadata—and are seeing results.
“We started seeing there would be a war for the dash,” Barton said. “I’m very skeptical of new technology… it’s got to make money.” His benchmark is steep: “I usually look for a five-to-one on anything I implement.” While Quu hasn’t quite hit that mark, he said, “we’re at four-to-one, and it’s pretty impactful.”
That return has helped turn visual products into a standard part of Max Media’s sales strategy. “It’s just part of what we do now,” Barton said. “If we have a local advertiser that doesn’t purchase this, I get involved—because they just don’t understand the impact that they could have.”
Internally, Barton has taken an unusually hands-on approach to driving adoption. A large in-office display tracks Quu performance in real time across stations, flagging advertisers not using the platform. “There’s a little red flag… that indicates they’re not purchasing,” he explained. “That’s my cue. I get up and walk out… and say, ‘We’ve got some work to do.’”
The approach has proven effective, particularly with local clients. “We don’t see many red indicators anymore,” Barton said, noting that national advertisers remain more resistant. “They want it for free—and we do not give it away.”
Pricing, he added, is straightforward: “It’s typically a 10% increase on a buy. So, if it’s $1,000 a week, at $100 they get Quu. It’s pennies for the impact that it can have.”
To help close deals, Barton’s team has leaned into creative—and highly tactile—sales tactics. One standout: “audio cakes,” created in partnership with a local bakery. The cakes feature edible images of dashboard displays along with QR codes that play spec ads.
“The client can hit the QR code and play the spot for themselves right there,” Barton said. “Just the engagement of them participating and hearing their name in lights… it’s been wildly effective.”
Sales reps are expected to deliver multiple cakes each week, often opening doors that were previously closed. “You can’t get past the gatekeeper,” Barton noted. “But if you bring a cake in, everybody likes cake.”
Beyond sales, Barton said success also depends on integrating visuals into programming—sometimes requiring a cultural shift. “Our ops manager is very protective of his screen,” he admitted. “But I had to explain to them—that’s not your screen, that’s my screen, because everything we do has to create revenue.”
Over time, that mindset has evolved into broader collaboration. Stations now use visual metadata for weather alerts, traffic updates, and station promotions, reinforcing radio’s role as a local information hub. “We want to be the information hub for our market,” Barton said.
At the same time, he acknowledged the need for balance in a PPM-driven environment. “There are so many off-ramps for a listener,” he said. “You have to protect those things.”
For Newberry, the takeaway is clear: the industry can no longer afford to treat visual as optional. “We are now as much of an opportunity for the visual medium as we are for the audible medium,” he said. “If we as an industry don’t embrace that… we have nobody to blame but ourselves.”
And as Barton’s results suggest, those who do embrace it aren’t just enhancing the listener experience—they’re building a new, and increasingly meaningful, revenue stream.