WHYY Elevates The Public Radio Experience

WHYY-FM, the leading non-commercial public media organization in the Greater Philadelphia region, covering Southeaster PA, Southern New Jersey and all of Delaware, continues to modernise its live and on-demand audio offerings with the help of StreamGuys for its NPR member station WHYY-FM.

Building on a decade-long relationship that began with replicating the public media innovator's on-air streams online, WHYY-FM now uses StreamGuys' flagship tools, services and integrations to streamline in-house production, enable rewindable streaming services, and power a new, listener-friendly mobile app developed with Vincit.

WHYY-FM first engaged with StreamGuys ten years ago to expand its online presence. "As our streaming audience grew, we needed tools that could scale with us," explained Richard Baniewicz, Vice President, Digital Products and Services at WHYY. "StreamGuys' platform gave us the efficiency and automation we were looking for. For example, SGrecast takes a process that once required hours of manual effort and reduces it to under an hour — all while letting us trim, publish, and distribute across platforms from one place. That efficiency allows us to focus more on the listening experience and less on the mechanics of production."

In fall 2024, WHYY launched the WHYY Listen App with design and development support from Vincit and seamless integration of StreamGuys' SGrewind technology. The new functionality lets listeners scroll back in time, from minutes to days, to replay stories, segments, or entire shows. "We're seeing a clear shift in how audiences expect to engage with content," Baniewicz added. "With SGrewind, we now give them the freedom to listen on their own schedule, which has already translated into stronger engagement with our programming."

Eduardo Martinez, Vice President of Technology, StreamGuys, commented that broadcasters like WHYY are showing what's possible when public media embraces flexible technology. "By weaving SGrewind into their app, WHYY is making it effortless for listeners to catch up, re-listen, and stay connected. That's a win for both the audience and the station," he said.

Baniewicz also credited Vincit for the app's modern, user-focused design. "Vincit brought the right mix of technical expertise and UX skills to deliver an app our community has quickly taken to," he said.

WHYY further strengthens its digital strategy with StreamGuys' dynamic ad insertion, which supports pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll placements across both live and time-shifted streams. "WHYY knows that monetization tools that respect listener preferences are a key part of building a sustainable model for digital audio," Martinez noted. "Coupled with Vincit's technical acumen and WHYY's expertise in public radio, we're proud that WHYY is delivering a convenient, engaging, and future-ready audio experience."

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