The Entercom Communications FM devoted to San Diego sports has “substantially improved” its Class B 50kw signal from the Emerald Hills section of the city by deploying a MaxxCasting system from the company looking for FCC approval of a plan that would bring the radio industry one step closer to addressable advertising.
The station is KWFN-FM “The Fan,” at 97.3 MHz. For many years, this was the home of Country KSON-FM. And, for many years, its transmitter to the east of hilly San Diego limited its broadcast signal, in particular in northern San Diego County.
It’s one reason why KSON-FM was moved to the 103.7 MHz facility, following Entercom’s acquisition of what had been KEGY-FM through the CBS Radio tax-free merger.
Now, with Major League Baseball scheduled to start an abbreviated season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, The Fan is ready to reach more listeners.
It’s thanks to the launch of a MaxxCasting system from GeoBroadcast Solutions. The four-node single-frequency network (SFN), which represents the first commercially deployed HD Radio Single Frequency Network (HD SFN), extends FM and HD Radio coverage up and down the Interstate 15 and State Route 78 corridors.
The improved signal can also increase penetration with Nielsen PPM Portable People Meters (PPMs) — a core competency for radio broadcasting companies in the top markets today.
Perhaps more significantly, the successful implementation of an HD SFN through MaxxCasting, says GeoBroadcast Solutions, “also demonstrates that geo-targeting for radio will work when the boosters are equipped with GeoBroadcast Solutions’ ZoneCasting technology.”
The FCC is currently considering a rule change petition that would permit radio broadcasters to air geo-targeted programming. “ZoneCasting will eventually owe its success to MaxxCasting, the foundational architecture that is currently boosting FM and HD signals from the Boston market’s WXLO-FM to KWFN in San Diego,” GeoBroadcast Solutions says.
“Providing a digitally clear, strong HD signal to the flagship station of the San Diego Padres serves the expanded listening audience and advertisers,” notes GeoBroadcast Solutions Chief Technology Officer Bill Hieatt. “The MaxxCasting system now reaches listeners in previously underserved areas north of San Diego, including the cities of Escondido, Ramona, and San Marcos.”
Citing COVID-19 impacted numbers that saw declines for all radio stations, due to significant cume drops, KWFN saw a one-month ratings share increase from 1.8 to 2.5 post-launch of the MaxxCasting system.
JR Rogers, Market Technical Operations Director for Entercom/San Diego acknowledges that “there is no question commuter listening experience has improved, as the holes in the signal coverage have been greatly diminished.”
He also sees potential for broader audience growth for key programs including, Ben & Woods, KWFN’s recently launched breakfast show.
And, the MaxxCasting system, which sees the use of boosters, couldn’t have come at a better time: XEPRS-AM 1090, a 50kw “border blaster” in Baja California, Mexico, has restored its Sports Talk programming following a dispute with the station’s owner and is now “The Mightier 1090.”
Rogers says, “We especially wanted to provide the Padres and their fans as close to 100%t coverage as possible. While high-power AM has a much broader coverage pattern, FM offers far superior sound. The MaxxCasting system will provide the community with higher quality game coverage, and better penetrate the entire market.”
GeoBroadcast worked closely with GatesAir for the KWFN installation, using its Flexiva transmitters with FAX Exgine exciters, a Flexiva FXMI 4g Exporter/Importer HD Radio system, and Intraplex IP networking and synchronization gear. The latter time-locks FM and HD signals between the main transmitter and four nodes. MaxxCasting is a system of FM on-channel boosters (SFN) with transmitters fully synchronized to boost the signal from the main transmitter with seamless transitions from the main to the booster nodes.
