WDUQ’s ratings have fallen; explanations offered

It was expected that when the format for WDUQ-FM (90.5) changed on July 1, that ratings would drop as former fans tuned away. The first ratings period has, in fact, shown a decline in numbers. Although a fall to 1.4 in July from a 1.6 in June and a 2.1 in May might seem weak, it is not for this pubcaster. The audience is smaller and therefore even the slightest slip represents a large percentage of audience.

Essential Public Media isn’t concerned… yet. “It takes awhile. Six weeks is not enough,” Tammy Terwelp told the Post-Gazette. Terwelp is the director of content and programming for EPM. Terwelp expects things to “become a lot easier” as more people discover the other programming and not just the programs they’ve tuned into for years that are still available.

WYEP general manager, Lee Ferraro agrees. He told the City Paper’s Chris Potter, “An audience number drop was fully anticipated.” Ferraro continued that EPM expects the number of listeners to grow. “But more importantly, we think the amount of listening to the station willnearly double within a couple years.”