Entercom on Tuesday announced it was changing the name of its radio and audio business.
The new business name, Audacy, takes effect immediately, according to a statement issued by the company.
“We have transformed into a fundamentally different and dramatically enhanced organization, and so it is time to embrace a new name and brand identity which better reflects who we have become and our vision for the future,” David Field, Audacy’s chief executive, said in a statement.
The decision to re-brand was made after Entercom made “a number of significant moves” in the industry, including its merger with CBS Radio, which allowed it to acquire the Radio.com platform, and its purchase of podcast studios Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios.
As Entercom, Audacy also landed a number of lucrative podcast deals with recognized household brands, including Nike, HBO and Netflix, the company said.
“This moment is not just a change of sign, but a sign of change. Our new brand encapsulates who we’ve become in audio and will guide our forward aspirations,” Paul Suchman, Audacy’s chief marketing executive, wrote on Tuesday. “We are bringing it to life across all touchpoints inside and outside the organization and look forward to delivering on its promise every day.”
As part of the rebrand, Audacy will retire the ETM stock market ticker symbol, which will change to AUD starting April 9. It will also sunset the Radio.com brand in favor of the new name.
The re-brand is part of a broader effort within the company to focus on its digital platforms. The company is hiring a slew of digital content managers and producers across its portfolio of radio stations and other businesses, according to job listings on LinkedIn spotted by The Desk.
Some of these initiatives have already started: On Tuesday, Audacy announced it was launching a new podcast partnership with pop music superstar Demi Lovato. It will also offer new, exclusive podcasts through its smartphone and tablet apps in the coming months, including a revamped version of the classic late-night call in show “Loveline” that will debut later this year.
