Philly Radio: Entercom's KYW Encouraged By Early Simulcast Ratings

The early returns are positive for KYW Newsradio’s FM simulcast, reports The Philadelphia Business Journal.  The news station began broadcasting on 103.9 FM on Nov. 23 in addition to its home for the past 55 years on 1060 AM after parent company Entercom Communications Corp. engineered a station swap with Silver Spring, Maryland-based Urban One.

KYW Brand Manager Alex Silverman said because of the timing of the transaction, the change did not take full effect until the December ratings book. He didn't wish to discuss specific numbers but according to Nielsen, KYW has moved from No. 6 to No. 2 in overall listeners in the Philadelphia market between October and January.

“Early signs are good,” said Silverman, who is also program director. “We’ve definitely seen some growth. It’s hard to attribute it all to being on FM. January and February had some serious weather issues as well. But we are definitely connecting with more people.”

Silverman, though, said it will take a few more months to truly measure the impact of the change.

According to Nielsen, KYW’s average overall ratings increased from 4.6% of total listeners in November to 6.4% in January, trailing just iHeartMedia’s urban contemporary station 105.3 WDAS-FM, which registered 8.6%. Perhaps more importantly, KYW moved past fellow news station 90.9 WHYY-FM, which finished third with 6.3%. Public broadcaster WHYY had moved past KYW in the ratings last year. KYW pushed ahead during the holiday ratings book and maintained the lead in January, according to Radio Online.

Entercom Philadelphia Market Manager David Yadgaroff said KYW has also seen growth in the all important 25-to-54-year-old demographic since beginning its simulcast and has added some new advertisers. He said Entercom is also still getting the word out through an advertising campaign on SEPTA buses and elsewhere.

Silverman has said the FM simulcast would expand KYW’s reach into parts of Bucks and Burlington counties, where the AM signal has been historically poor, adding that interference from wireless technology has created issues in other parts of the area as well.