can a stations HD sides help their main signals ratings if used correctly

[oasisrulz]

What made me think of this is because the last week I noticed WRFF's HD-2 has kinda switched to all Hard Rock, very little Cutting Edge Alternative like they were, they sound very close to MMR and YSP's selection, but only broader.  My question is can WRFF use this to their advantage, meaning, if their HD-2 can pull listeners from MMR and YSP, it can help them to rate higher, same with other formats, a station can go after another one, on their HD, to boose their main rated signal....just my observations....

[ccuphl]

What made me think of this is because the last week I noticed WRFF's HD-2 has kinda switched to all Hard Rock, very little Cutting Edge Alternative like they were, they sound very close to MMR and YSP's selection, but only broader.  My question is can WRFF use this to their advantage, meaning, if their HD-2 can pull listeners from MMR and YSP, it can help them to rate higher, same with other formats, a station can go after another one, on their HD, to boose their main rated signal....just my observations....

I'm reading your note two different ways:

1. The HD channels are encoded seperately for Arbitron.  WRFF-HD2 would not add to the ratings of the main WRFF channel.  In the ratings, WRFF-FM would be listed with, say, a 4.0 6+, and WRFF-HD2 would be listed with a 0.1 6+.  WRFF, as a whole, would not get a 4.1.

2. HD-2s and HD-3s are no where close to being able to pull large (or even small) chunks of listeners away from main FM signals, programming-wise.

[aindik]

They can (in theory) use the HD-2 and HD-3 to reduce their competitor's ratings.  They cannot use HD-2 and Hd-3 to increase their own ratings.  If you mean, can they use it to increase their slot in the rankings, the answer is yes.  But nobody really cares about that.  They care about the actual ratings numbers.

[oasisrulz]

What I meant, can a station like WRFF who in reality has WMMR and WYSP as their main competition, although WRFF is different music wise to an extent, use their HD-2 to program music that the other two play.  Thus having listeners move away from 93.3 and 94.1 and go over to RFF-HD-2 for the same music, or even better music, without interruptions.  Now, those listeners that move over to RFF-HD-2 would not rate MMR or YSP as their station to the PPM's, because they are content with RFF-HD-2, this takes away from the two and makes RFF rate higher when the other two rate lower....does this make any sense LOL......

[aindik]

That would make the other two rate lower but it wouldn't make RFF rate higher.  The only way to make RFF rate higher is for people to listen to RFF.

It may make RFF rank higher, but that's not the same thing.  It's much less important.

[ccuphl]

What I meant, can a station like WRFF who in reality has WMMR and WYSP as their main competition, although WRFF is different music wise to an extent, use their HD-2 to program music that the other two play.  Thus having listeners move away from 93.3 and 94.1 and go over to RFF-HD-2 for the same music, or even better music, without interruptions.  Now, those listeners that move over to RFF-HD-2 would not rate MMR or YSP as their station to the PPM's, because they are content with RFF-HD-2, this takes away from the two and makes RFF rate higher when the other two rate lower....does this make any sense LOL......

Sure - you can go after your competition on a HD-2 or HD-3 channel. However, HD radio isn't in a position to take listeners away from main FM signals. You could have the most brilliantly, well-executed format on the planet on a HD channel, but no one (relative to the 4,000,000+ people in Philadelphia) is going to hear it.

Keep in mind, KYW (one of the most listened-to stations in the city) is on WYSP-HD2, and it's pulling a 0.0 6+.