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KYW gets the WCBS treatment

Jstnpspck

Jstnpspck

Westinghouse logo- GONE

Teletype (mp3)- still tickin'

I believe the woman doing the imaging for WCBS has been brought in to voice KYW as well. I wasn't a big fan of the last jingle refresh and I can't say I hate this new edition. I also haven't exactly heard a ton of it yet either.

KYW Article- https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/kyw-newsradio-unveils-updated-music-fresh-new-logo

RadioInsight article- https://radioinsight.com/headlines/176655/kyw-gets-logo-and-jingle-refresh/

The logo is.... yeesh. Though I'm always a fan of a spoken word station incorporating a speech bubble into their logo.
 
Getting rid of the Anklepants font and making their logo all-lowercase isn't going to make kyw [sic] on AM radio any more attractive to the under-40 crowd.
 
Jstnpspck said:
Westinghouse logo- GONE

Teletype (mp3)- still tickin'

I believe the woman doing the imaging for WCBS has been brought in to voice KYW as well. I wasn't a big fan of the last jingle refresh and I can't say I hate this new edition. I also haven't exactly heard a ton of it yet either.

KYW Article- https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/kyw-newsradio-unveils-updated-music-fresh-new-logo

RadioInsight article- https://radioinsight.com/headlines/176655/kyw-gets-logo-and-jingle-refresh/

The logo is.... yeesh. Though I'm always a fan of a spoken word station incorporating a speech bubble into their logo.
Click to expand...


Is the re-image BAD? Nah. Is it GOOD? Meh. Will it attract more listeners alone? No.

That being said... it's Philly. And Philly hates change. Let's see if the backlash to the change is as swift as when Action News re-recorded their theme and only briefly used it.
 
Jstnpspck said:
Westinghouse logo- GONE

Teletype (mp3)- still tickin'

I believe the woman doing the imaging for WCBS has been brought in to voice KYW as well. I wasn't a big fan of the last jingle refresh and I can't say I hate this new edition. I also haven't exactly heard a ton of it yet either.

KYW Article- https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/kyw-newsradio-unveils-updated-music-fresh-new-logo

RadioInsight article- https://radioinsight.com/headlines/176655/kyw-gets-logo-and-jingle-refresh/

The logo is.... yeesh. Though I'm always a fan of a spoken word station incorporating a speech bubble into their logo.
Click to expand...

I can't decide whether it's hilarious or sad that they think this will make even one lick of difference. I mean, maybe a lick from advertisers who will see a more modern looking logo? But, meh. The old logo was around forever for a reason. It's part of a brand, blah, blah, blah, you all know the rest. The only way to get younger listeners is to get this thing on the FM dial. You can't get younger people to listen to a station on a band they don't know exists! And you can't get younger people to view a website for a station they don't know exists. This all seems like a big old waste of time and effort (not to mention money).
 
Miguelito said:
I can't decide whether it's hilarious or sad that they think this will make even one lick of difference.
Click to expand...

No one knows what they think. What we know is that Westinghouse has been out of the radio business for 20 years.

This is a radio station, and you can't hear the logo on the radio.
 
TheBigA said:
No one knows what they think. What we know is that Westinghouse has been out of the radio business for 20 years.

This is a radio station, and you can't hear the logo on the radio.
Click to expand...

You really love Entercom, don't you? LOL.
 
This news got me to listen in of course and the web stream sounds really great.
 
The logo's probably all over KYW(AM)'s app/website. That's where younger users will encounter it. Since CBS wasn't in the mood to buy an FM when it was available, that option's gone.

Probably just as well. Younger listeners don't generally use physical radios unless they're in the car, and even that's being ceded to the phone/dash apps.

That logo will be seen on the screen of whatever is accessing the audio.
 
One opinion—it all seems good to me. No, a logo won’t entice someone to listen. But that’s also not a reason to hold on to something ancient “just because.” The brand lives outside of the radio, and doing something with a more modern aesthetic makes sense to show, well, you don’t just cling to everything old just because.

The jingles sound brighter and more modern to me. I’d still vote to ditch that teletype, and would have voted for that decades ago.

If the time comes that an FM outlet is added to the mix, this all seems flexible enough to make the transition.

Random additional thought: 1210 could use a serious refresh. Not that I’m expecting them to invest that cash, just saying some fresh design standards there would be an upgrade.
 
Last edited:
AbrahamJSimpson said:
One opinion—it all seems good to me. No, a logo won’t entice someone to listen. But that’s also not a reason to hold on to something ancient “just because.” The brand lives outside of the radio, and doing something with a more modern aesthetic makes sense to show, well, you don’t just cling to everything old just because.

The jingles sound brighter and more modern to me. I’d still vote to ditch that teletype, and would have voted for that decades ago.

If the time comes that an FM outlet is added to the mix, this all seems flexible enough to make the transition.

Random additional thought: 1210 could use a serious refresh. Not that I’m expecting them to invest that cash, just saying some fresh design standards there would be an upgrade.
Click to expand...

The new logo looks like the 1060 could be removed with little notice. In fact, one of the logos I saw on their site doesn't even include the 1060.
 
Miguelito said:
What I'm saying is the new logo may have been designed to easily remove the 1060 if the station ever moves to FM. Again, not that any of it matters. Just sayin.
Click to expand...
I think it's more likely that the "move" is to the app. Entercom isn't going to displace a profitable FM for a news audience that's either already on AM or migrating away from the radio tuner. If it (the FMs) ain't broke....
 
JBraddock said:
I think it's more likely that the "move" is to the app. Entercom isn't going to displace a profitable FM for a news audience that's either already on AM or migrating away from the radio tuner. If it (the FMs) ain't broke....
Click to expand...

Agreed. They seem to have missed the boat on getting KYW on an FM. Maybe some day, one of the FM's will be in dire straits and all other options will be elsewhere on the dial. That's just about the only hope for KYW getting moved over. Kinda wonder whether the next Philly Entercom station to bite the dust might not be...KYW. lol
 
Miguelito said:
What I'm saying is the new logo may have been designed to easily remove the 1060 if the station ever moves to FM. Again, not that any of it matters. Just sayin.
Click to expand...

This is key. Not necessarily if the station moves, but the fact that AM stations need to be plugging that they're available in a bunch of other *crystal-clear* places; via the web player, via the app, and lest we forget dear old 94.1 HD-2. The 1060 doesn't need to be front and center anymore (especially when it gets sung every 15 minutes or less). What needs to be driven home is all of the wonderful other places one can hear KYW (or kyw now, I guess :D)
 
AbrahamJSimpson said:
I’d still vote to ditch that teletype, and would have voted for that decades ago.
Click to expand...

I actually think people would be more upset if the teletype sound was removed. I feel like THAT is more like the Action News theme. It makes the station memorable, regardless if a "teletype" hasn't been used in decades. People associate the sound to the station... it's a sound that brings familiarity. The new jingles are similar enough to not be TOO jolting of a change. But getting rid of the teletype, I think, would be a bad choice.

But that's just MY opinion. lol
 
atthestars said:
I actually think people would be more upset if the teletype sound was removed. I feel like THAT is more like the Action News theme. It makes the station memorable, regardless if a "teletype" hasn't been used in decades. People associate the sound to the station... it's a sound that brings familiarity. The new jingles are similar enough to not be TOO jolting of a change. But getting rid of the teletype, I think, would be a bad choice.

But that's just MY opinion. lol
Click to expand...

I've never really understood why people dislike the teletype effect because you don't even really notice it. It certainly doesn't distract from the experience. It's basically subconscious branding/imaging. I'm not a traditionalist in any way shape or form but I must agree: I don't want it to ever go away. Listeners subconsciously associate it with KYW. There are few things that I believe would reeeeeeeally make listeners go "Wait, something doesn't sound right" but I think removing the teletype from KYW would be one.

For new listeners, it wouldn't matter at all. But...well, who are these new listeners anyway?
 
I certainly can’t speak for anyone else, but I have always had some issues with background noise levels kind of “scrambling the circuits” when it comes to focusing on the foreground. That doesn’t mean anything in terms of change or status quo, but there are some of us...ok, me....who do perhaps hear it more than I imagine most do. That aside, when I have had KYW on to check traffic or weather, my “next generation of prospective listeners” in the car has asked that that weird “clicking” noise was.

Perhaps really fascinating to data nerds would be any research they’ve done. It would be interesting to see who really would freak out if it went away vs those who genuinely don’t care, and how that all breaks down across age lines and actual listenership.

Since Action News was brought up, I’d also find it really interesting to see where attitudes are today, vs. the vocal crazies of 20+ years ago when it comes to the theme. I’m weird enough to still be jarred by the 4 and 11 pm weekday shows not doing a full opening compared to the other newscasts, but really...there can’t be that many, if any, others who notice. Would a re-do of the theme itself drive people off the bridge? Maybe, but I’m not clinging to 1996 as my yardstick.

One other thought, I’m curious if a theme song, something more broadly commonplace on TV would be comparable to a background sound effect. Maybe so.

As it relates to this update, it seems to me Entercom balanced a respect for heritage and familiarity with bringing modern elements to the product. Sure it’s easy, and fun, to quibble with specific pieces, but in fairness, this feels carefully thought out.
 
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