--- title: "Hot 97 (MediaCo): Hot 97 and WBLS Apps | Shockoe" description: "How Shockoe built the Hot 97 and WBLS mobile apps for MediaCo, with live radio, video, DJ chat and push alerts on iOS and Android." canonical: "https://shockoe.com/our-work/hot-97/" --- # Hot 97 and WBLS Apps > How Shockoe built the Hot 97 and WBLS mobile apps for MediaCo, with live radio, video, DJ chat and push alerts on iOS and Android. [← All case studies](https://shockoe.com/our-work/) Hot 97 (MediaCo) Client *Hot 97 (MediaCo)* Sector Media What we did iOS and Android app development, live chat service, and push notifications *A Hot 97 app home screen on a phone, with a featured video story and a Hot News list, over a purple and blue concert photo.* ## Bringing the live show to the phone. ### The challenge Hot 97 is New York's hip hop radio station, and its audience follows the DJs and talent all day, on air and online. Much of that attention lived on other platforms. MediaCo wanted listeners in an app it owns, with a mobile experience as live as the broadcast, and the same for its sister station WBLS. ### The build Native iOS and Android apps, with Hot 97 and WBLS built from one shared codebase. Listeners stream live radio, watch video with pre-roll ads and auto-play, read articles, enter contests and sign in with a profile and phone verification. When a DJ opens a live chat, the app shows it right away and sends a push notification. A video chat also starts the live video channel, and closing the chat stops it. Notifications open the right screen in the app. Firebase powers the push notifications and in-app settings, and the chat service runs on AWS. ## The result The apps are designed to bring listeners into the show as it happens, with a goal of a 20% increase in live DJ and listener engagement. Chat alerts call listeners back when a DJ goes live, and the plan was to track video watches, sessions per week and installs. One shared codebase lets MediaCo bring new features to both stations together. ## Project images * *A Hot 97 live video screen with a DJ in the studio, emoji reactions and a chat box with two listener messages.* * *A Hot 97 talent profile screen with show times, a large name header and a short biography over a photo of a turntable.* * *A Hot 97 live radio player showing the current song, a pause button and a Recently Played list, over a photo of a mixing board.* * *A Hot 97 Read screen with a featured news story and a Hot News list, over a photo of a performer in a recording studio.* ## Questions about this project ### What is the Hot 97 app? A mobile app for iOS and Android with live radio, video, articles, contests and live chat with DJs and talent. ### What did Shockoe do for MediaCo? Shockoe built the iOS and Android apps for Hot 97 and WBLS, plus the chat service behind them. ### How does live chat work? A DJ opens a chat room, the app shows it and sends a push notification, and listeners join in real time. ## More in Consumer & Retail [All case studies](https://shockoe.com/our-work/) Publix ### Grocery Ordering and Savings App From shopping list to checkout. [View case study](https://shockoe.com/our-work/publix/) Anderson's Masonry Hearth & Home ### AR Fireplace Visualizer See the fireplace in your home before you buy it. [View case study](https://shockoe.com/our-work/andersons-masonry-hearth-home/) Olly ### Mobile DTC Experience Assessment From one purchase to a daily habit. [View case study](https://shockoe.com/our-work/olly/) ## Related insights on AI & Innovation [All AI & Innovation insights](https://shockoe.com/insights/category/ai-innovation/) ### Can You Explain the Code Your AI Wrote? AI writes more code than anyone can retype. What still builds understanding is explaining it, testing it and owning what ships. [Read](https://shockoe.com/insights/explain-the-code-your-ai-wrote/) 5 min read ### What AI Implementation Looks Like in a Large Organization With Legacy Systems A practical guide for CIOs and CTOs: phased rollout, governance, training and integration that adds AI without replacing the systems you run on. [Read](https://shockoe.com/insights/what-does-ai-implementation-look-like-for/) 5 min read ### AI in Construction in 2026: What Actually Works on the Jobsite Past the hype, a handful of AI use cases are quietly delivering documented returns. Here's what's real and what your data has to do first. [Read](https://shockoe.com/insights/ai-in-construction-2026/) 4 min read Next case study ## [The Home of Golf App →](https://shockoe.com/our-work/st-andrews-links/) St Andrews Links [All case studies](https://shockoe.com/our-work/) Source: https://shockoe.com/our-work/hot-97/