Cumulus Media is sharpening its local sales playbook, announcing a new partnership designed to give advertisers something increasingly valuable in today’s audio landscape — data that actually tells them what to do next.
The company confirmed it is teaming up with The Media Audit and TOMA.Solutions to bring deeper market intelligence into its local sales strategy. The move centers on arming Cumulus’ sales teams with more precise insights into consumer behavior and brand awareness at the market level.
The Media Audit will provide detailed local audience intelligence, helping stations better understand how listeners live, spend, and engage. TOMA.Solutions adds another layer, focusing on top-of-mind brand awareness — a critical metric for advertisers trying to break through increasingly crowded marketplaces.
Cumulus executives framed the move as a necessary evolution in how radio sells itself.
“Today’s advertisers want more than audience delivery. They want insight, clarity, and a stronger connection between marketing decisions and business results,” said Cumulus Media President of Operations Dave Milner in a company statement. “By integrating specialized resources like The Media Audit and TOMA.Solutions into our broader research suite, our teams in these markets provide an even deeper level of local intelligence, helping our clients build more precise and effective campaigns.”
From the research side, the message is just as direct — inventory alone isn’t enough anymore.
“Local advertisers are looking for partners who can bring insight to the table, not just inventory,” said The Media Audit CEO Phillip Beswick. “Cumulus is demonstrating that it understands the importance of combining media reach with local market intelligence. The Media Audit and TOMA.Solutions are built to help media companies and advertisers identify opportunity, sharpen strategy, and improve results.”
Zoom out, and this is radio adjusting to a marketplace that has changed under its feet.
For years, the pitch was simple: reach, frequency, and scale. Now, advertisers expect accountability — data that connects airtime to outcomes. That shift has forced broadcasters to rethink not just what they sell, but how they sell it.
Cumulus’ move signals a deeper commitment to competing on that level.
Because in a world where digital platforms have long dominated the data conversation, radio’s path forward may depend on proving it can deliver not just listeners — but intelligence.
And if this works, it won’t just help close deals.
It may redefine how local radio competes.
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.