WHAT’s new in radio

AM station plays local music every hour

By Joe Student

Philly EDGE Editor

Last week, alternative rock clearly returned to Philadelphia radio on an (almost) 24-hour basis.

What? Actually, WHAT-AM 1340. The station, formerly an all-talk channel focused on the African-American community, now refers to itself as Skin Radio after changing formats last month. In addition to its AM broadcast, WHAT began broadcasting in high definition (HD) Jan. 31 to those with HD receivers. In accordance with Federal Communication Commission guidelines, WHAT only broadcasts in HD from sunrise to sunset. It also streams programming online at www.skinradio.com .

“We need to educate the audience on the benefits of HD Radio,” said President/GM Tom Kelly of Marconi Broadcasting Company, owner of the station.

Kelly, a radio veteran of more than 30 years who also founded Kelly Music Research in 1991, said he felt there was an opportunity for the format in the region. No Philly station has been exclusively alternative since Y100-FM (100.3) flipped formats in February of 2005.

WHAT’s playlist is comprised of alternative and modern rock, hip-hop and reggae.

More relevant to local music fans is the Local Stage feature – a track from a local band is played on the station every hour. Other spots feature local poets, comedians and clips from movies.

Operation Manager/Program Director Alvin Clay, a Villanova grad who considers himself part of the station’s core target audience, will select the local content.

“We will feature a broader range of local artists than the rest of the mix on the station, but (submissions) still have to loosely fit the (format),” Clay said, adding submissions must be radio-friendly, recorded and done so at a clear, professional level.

“If (artists) are unsure if they fit, just send it along. I'll look at everything I get,” Clay said.

Clay said listeners within a 10-mile radius of the transmitter in Bala Cynwyd are best located to receive the broadcast that originates from the 1,000 watt station’s Manayunk studios. “It can be heard past that (up to 25 miles away), but as the distance grows, the quality suffers,” Clay said.

Kelly said the station will not be using DJs in shifts at set time slots.

“Our philosophy is to let the music be the star,” Kelly said.  “Hosts will be added to complement, not upstage the music.  The biggest complaints our audience has about FM radio today are ‘too much talk’ and ‘too many commercials.’  Now Philadelphia has an alternative on AM.”

Local artists can submit work to:

Skin Radio- AM 1340 WHAT

c/o Programming - Local (Poet,Music,Comedy)

10 Shurs Lane

Suite 204

Philadelphia, PA 19127