Philly Radio: Audacy Picks Successor To Silverman At KYW

Audacy has promoted from within to replace the recently departed Alex Silverman as brand manager of KYW Newsradio.

The Philly Business Journal reports Kristina “Luca” Koppeser will succeed Silverman, who left for sister station KNX News 97.1 FM in Los Angeles, while also serving as director of digital content. She will oversee the station’s content strategy, talent, operations and branding. Koppeser joined the station in July 2021 as digital managing editor.

KYW 103.9 FM/1060 AM also named Podcast Director Tom Rickert, who has been with the station for 11 years, as assistant brand manager. He will retain podcasting oversight.

Kristina Koppeser

“When Alex went to LA and I was trying to figure out what the strategy would be for the next chapter of the newsroom, I wanted to continue to lead in a multi-platform way,” said Audacy (NYSE: AUD) Philadelphia Market Manager David Yadgaroff. “Alex was a traditional radio journalist with a multi-platform mindset. [Koppeser's' a multi-platform journalist who now has had experience in radio. So it's like it's a continued evolution for the blending of the different platforms that we choose to deliver the content on.”

Yadgaroff said he liked Koppeser’s leadership style, problem solving ability, passion and the way she looks at opportunities from multiple angles.

Unlike Silverman, Koppeser does not come from a traditional radio background and that’s fine with Yadgaroff.

“All of our newsrooms are becoming multi-platform,” Yadgaroff said. “So wherever we all started 10, 15 years ago doesn't matter because today we're all in a multi-platform space. She has major television and radio and digital experience. I think she's a perfect candidate to run a multi-platform newsroom, today and tomorrow.”

Tom Rickert

Prior to joining KYW, Koppeser spent almost five years working for New York-based Hearst Television, first launching the Digital Curation Desk and later taking on a new role in leading the Amplify Team, where she managed production and digital distribution of national digital video content sourced from HTV’s 26 local news stations. In addition to her work in digital video, she oversaw user generated content and national social content through HTV brands Stitch and Very Local.

Before joining Hearst in 2017, Koppeser was the inaugural curator on Twitter’s Moments team, where she helped develop the product and curation standards for the U.S. as well as international launches. Since graduating from Muhlenberg College in 2008, Koppeser has also worked as an editorial assistant for WeightWatchers.com (2008-11), associate producer for the Dr. Oz Show (2011-12), associate editor for MTV.com (2012-14) and social media editor for Daily Mail U.S. (2014-15).

Unlike Koppeser, Rickert has spent his entire career in radio. After graduating from Temple University, he started at KYW in May 2011 as a desk assistant, but soon moved up the ranks as a digital and social media producer, writer and editor. Between 2013 and 2019, he was a writer and producer for KYW’s morning show and also served as an editor at the station.