Clear Channel Radio announced Thursday a package of changes geared toward using the latest technologies to improve the quality of radio for listeners, advertisers and the industry itself.

One of the first moves under the Advanced Technology Initiative was to name Kevin Lockhart to the newly created position of senior vp technology development. The Clear Channel Communications division will immediately begin an aggressive rollout of digital broadcasting equipment to 1,000 of the company's 1,200 stations, working with iBiquity Digital Corp.'s HD Radio technology in an alliance that will accelerate the national rollout of digital radio. Terms of the relationship with iBiquity were not disclosed, but Clear Channel is an investor in the company along with 14 other top radio broadcasters including ABC and Viacom.

"Radio has a great opportunity to capitalize on new technologies," said John Hogan, CEO of Clear Channel Radio. "Kevin Lockhart has been instrumental in advancing radio technology for many years, the past four with Clear Channel Radio. We're committed to leading the industry in this important area, and he is an ideal person to lead our effort to exploit new technology developments."

The deal with iBiquity will put its in-band on-channel technology — usually known by its acronym IBOC — into 95% of Clear Channel Radio's top 100 markets within three years. IBOC significantly improves the sound quality of both AM and FM broadcasts while adding features possible only with digital technology, such as displaying text or rich media directly on the face plate of the radio.