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KDKA Radio's 'combative' editorial strategy

Y2kTheNewOldies

Y2kTheNewOldies

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsb...6Mo7DE56n17C-tN8Tolota15dWHNidbP-wXDoZZE65M6s


Pittsburgh's KDKA Radio is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, making it the oldest commercial radio station in the U.S. Its first broadcast on Nov. 2, 1920 announced the election results between presidential candidates Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox. KDKA Radio quite literally set the standard for radio media in America.

But recent editorial decisions by the station have caused some to question that pedigree. KDKA Radio, broadcasted locally on 1020 AM, has boosted controversial radio personalities to the detriment of public sentiment. Local officials have canceled interviews with the station and advertisers have condemned content and asked to be moved off of certain hosts’ shows.

The station has altered strategies often, but those efforts have accelerated since KDKA was purchased by radio conglomerate Entercom in 2017. Former and current employees say it's created chaos. And most recently, KDKA Radio lost one of its longtime co-hosts in John Shumway, who was forced out because he refused requests by producers to be more combative and was “too nice” for the new direction of the station, according to sources who spoke to Pittsburgh City Paper.
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It's a fairly well-written article IMHO. The fact is that the Pittsburgh area is one of the political battlegrounds. The future for AM radio isn't great. KDKA has to bang the drum loudly to get any attention. They're doing a better job than co-owned WPHT in Philadelphia. The public radio station is also getting great ratings. Their presentation is far less "combative." The two stations are neck & neck, which reflects the politics and tastes of the area. Here are the latest Pittsburgh ratings:

https://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb023
 
TheBigA said:
It's a fairly well-written article IMHO. The fact is that the Pittsburgh area is one of the political battlegrounds. The future for AM radio isn't great. KDKA has to bang the drum loudly to get any attention. They're doing a better job than co-owned WPHT in Philadelphia. The public radio station is also getting great ratings. Their presentation is far less "combative." The two stations are neck & neck, which reflects the politics and tastes of the area. Here are the latest Pittsburgh ratings:

https://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb023
Click to expand...

Of course, if you average Jan to Mar, KDKA is about 15% above WESA, but WESA is a clear winner in 25-54. It's just speculation whether the younger demo is related to the fact that KDKA is AM or whether it's because of the political difference between older and younger persons in the market.
 
DavidEduardo said:
Of course, if you average Jan to Mar, KDKA is about 15% above WESA, but WESA is a clear winner in 25-54.
Click to expand...

They do slightly better than WHYY in Philadelphia and WVXU in Cincinnati. About the same as WCPU in Cleveland. Way ahead of NPR stations in Chicago and Detroit.

The "combative" thing isn't unique to KDKA. It is the favored approach chosen by commercial news/talkers around the country. I'm not sure why, other than it energizes the emotions.
 
As we look back at the 100 year history of KDKA, I find it interesting that the radio station has basically outlasted the company the started it. Westinghouse Electric became CBS Corporation in 1999. The surviving Westinghouse Electric actually filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and now exists as a holding company of some sort. Certainly not the legacy old George Westinghouse intended 100 years ago.
 
DavidEduardo said:
Of course, if you average Jan to Mar, KDKA is about 15% above WESA, but WESA is a clear winner in 25-54. It's just speculation whether the younger demo is related to the fact that KDKA is AM or whether it's because of the political difference between older and younger persons in the market.
Click to expand...

Probably both, with the politics being the bigger factor....

Any info on how Wendy Bell impacts KD's numbers overall? My left-leaning friends insist that she's killing them (despite the fact that with a 7.3 a couple months ago they had their highest ratings in years....).
 
Bumped because, per Pittsburgh City Paper, Ms. Bell FINALLY stepped WAY over the line. And she's been pulled off KDKA indefinitely.

To answer Parttimer's question: Since April, KDKA has dropped 3 spots in the overall 12+ ratings. They've dropped 1.5 points in that demo and are barely ahead of WESA-FM(5.0 to 4.7, respectively).
 
In a happier matter, is KDKA putting much effort to promoting its 100th anniversary? Any specials or promotions scheduled?
 
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