PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio/TV Mailbag
PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio & TV
PBRTV Mailbag April 1-12, 2001
Eric, WJNL-TV was co-located with WJNL-AM 1490 (now WNTJ) and WJNL-FM 96.5 (now WMTZ) on a hill overlooking Johnstown (Cover Hill, I believe) where the studios and tower were located. I believe JNL was the owner's initials. WJNL-TV was born as WARD-TV (channel 56) in the 1950's. Their move to channel 19 and the WJNL call letters came in the 1970's. I do not know the circumstances of WJNL-TV losing its network affiliation, but imagine it must have come after protests from WTAJ-TV 10 in Altoona. I also remember well the doomed WFAT ("Fatten Up Your TV Viewing" was the slogan); it must have been very difficult for an independent UHF to survive in such an economically challenged market as Johnstown was for much of the 1980's. Here's a little WJNL-TV history from the UHF section of my DuMont Television Network Web site:
"In one of the most convoluted histories of any UHF station, WARD-TV (originally Johnstown's ABC and CBS affiliate) moved to channel 19, where it became WJNL-TV, then independent WFAT, then WPTJ, then (after being dark for several years) returned as WTWB with the WB Network, then switched to WNPA and successfully petitioned the FCC for a change in city of license to Jeannette PA, which made it a "must-carry" station on Pittsburgh's cable systems! WNPA was later acquired by Paramount, and today serves as Pittsburgh's UPN affiliate, even though its over-the-air signal is all but unwatchable in the city."
Hope this helps. On a slightly related subject, can anyone tell me what is now in the Carnegie Building in downtown Johnstown where WCRO 1230 used to be? Or is the building long gone? Regards, Clarke (April 12, 2001)
eric, i was really surprised reading the on-going results of one of your questions on the home page re: "local morning shows vs. national voice-tracked am shows"...i think it doesn't matter to kids whether the morning host(s) or local or not, but to adults, and especially "native" adults, yeah, it DOES matter! with the exception of what NPR does in the am drive slot, other local radio stations should be catering to local listeners! traffic, sports scores/stories, local news, local weather; issues that matter ALOT to adult local listeners! kids may not care about those things, i didn't either as a kid...but now as an adult, and a native pittsburgher, i want to hear what's going on HERE where i live...i was really surprised to see that many of your web site readers who voted on this question don't place that much importance on "locality"..."valentine" may be a great jock, but he ain't no pittsburgher and in fact, he could care less about this town or most of the other 15 to 20 markets he's currently voice-tracking...cyber-jocks may be the future but they leave me mostly cold...and i'll bet you many adults who still use radio would agree...(April 12, 2001)
Glad to see Dave comming back to the burgh! Dave and I toiled together at WEIR in the early 80's! Long Live Jammin Oldies. Trefdawg
(April 12, 2001)
Eric ~ The PG TV article on WPXI's coverage of Willie Stargell's passing & a prepared tribute by Sam Nover reminded me of a radio tribute I heard a few years ago. It was a program prepared ahead of time by Wink Martindale (Heard in Erie on AM 1260 WRIE Noon till 3 on the syndicated "Music of Your Life" network.) It was for Frank Sinatra & I could tell the program was pre recorded ahead of time because there was no mention of the current date. It was interesting but almost eerie at the same time. It is also nice that there is a choice for Standards when 1260 carries the slumping Tribe, AM 740. It should catch on around here for another choice & the personalities are very good like the old days of WEYZ 1450 & LATER 1330. Tom L. (April 12, 2001)
Eric, I remember that back around 1975, I saw listings for WJNL-TV(the old Ch. 19) in Johnstown, PA, in the Pittsburgh Edition of TV Guide. I understand that it was a CBS affiliate for years and then became an independent years later. Where did the WJNL call letters come from, and what were its broadcasting hours(I mean, sign-on and sign-off times) back in the 1970's and early 1980's(when the station
was known as WFAT)? Also, what kind of programs were carried on the old Channel 19, and when did the station lose its CBS affiliation and become an independent? Where were the WJNL-TV studios located, and who owned the station? I also know from your section that 19 was off the air for a few years before returning as WTWB-TV in early 1995, with the then brand-new WB network. Then early in 1998, when Pittsburgh's WPTT-TV(22) dumped its UPN affiliation for the WB(and changed its calls to WCWB), Channel 19 left Johnstown to become Pittsburgh's UPN station as WNPA. The WNPA calls, I believe, stand for "Western Pennsylvania"; I'm not really sure. Also, how are your Pirates doing in this young season. What all do you know about the new PNC Park? Martin Connolly Keeping All of PBRTV Informed!! (April 11, 2001)
Eric's Response: Well this is interesting info! IF anyone can help Martin out it would be appreciated. As far as the Pirates and PNC Park, the Pirates won their first game at PNC on 4/11/01. Cool! I have not been to the new park yet, but look forward to an opportunity to go soon!
Jim Snyder, former KDKA News director[1954-1959] and retired V.P.
of Post Newsweek TV Stations,
Washington D C , Living in Bethesda Maryland.
Had a Stroke This past weekend. We Wish well to him and his Family. (April 10, 2001)
Eric ~ This is not a radio related e-mail but nonetheless, it is worthy of your website. I had just learned the news of Pirate & Baseball Great Willie Stargell passing away. My condolences go out to the Stargell family on this very sad day. He is now in the ultimate Baseball Hall of Fame with many of the greats, including Bob Prince & of course # 21. Let's Go Bucco's & Win one for Willie #8! Tom L. (April 9, 2001)
Eric's Response: Yes Tom, I can concur, Willie was one of the greatest. I have never really liked sports, but Willie Stargell was definitely one to admire. I found myself tearing up when they did the TV news tributes to Pops. How appropriate that this was the official home opener at PNC Park too!
I hope KDKA-AM's phones ring off the hook Monday morning!!!!
Ms. Liz Day gave her listeners five (5) hours of union bashing. She bashed AFTRA, the electrical workers, the miners, the steel workers, you name it, the bitch bashed it. When union members, stewards would call, defending the unions, she would cut them short. When someone called to agree with her, they had all the time in the world. Some guy called, very knowledgable about unions, was trying to tell her facts from a government *Think Tank* in Washington DC citing how wages and benefits have actually declined with unions having less power, and increased non-union jobs. Even though the guy tried to tell her that these facts DID NOT come from a union organization, she kept telling him that he was NOT telling her listeners FACTS, he was giving them UNION PROPAGANDA!!! She said that even though she's a paying member of AFTRA (against her wishes), if there is a strike at KDKA, she WILL cross the picket line, not only to work at the station, but to cook and serve food for everyone else who follows her. To her, AFTRA is a third party that does nothing for her or the station. This thinking applies to all unions. When I was drafted into the army, I was a printer making 90 cents an hour with no benefits. While I was in the army the shop organized. I returned to my job after my military service at $3.33 an hour with hospitalization and a pension. The Aetna insurance left me owing NOTHING, NOTTA, ZIP, ZILCH, NOT PENNY ONE to any physician, hospital, pediatrician for the birth and medical care of my two daughters. I have been collecting that pension since 1984. If it hadn't been for the union, none of this would have been available at our shop.
I think she went way over the line on this show. Tom (April 8, 2001)
Eric's Response: I heard a piece of this show too. Not good
Eric, in response to the question in your Mailbag, Cris Winter is now part of the Scott Paulsen afternoon drive show on WBGG-AM, Sportsradio 970, "The Burgh." Regards, Clarke. (April 6, 2001)
I'm trying to locate any of the people who were associated with the TV show "The Place", which aired on WQED from 1966 to 1970. It was a locally produced magazine format show aimed at teenagers that used actual high school kids as "student producers" to put the show together and appear on air. The Student Produce roster included local newsman Bob Mayo and Tim Hayes. The original host was Bill Hillgrove. He was later replaced by Dennis Benson. The program featured panel discussions, interviews, and performances by local garage bands and folk singers. The setting was an imaginary coffee house called "The Place". It was produced in conjunction with The Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania. There were two spin-offs of the TV show. There was a half-hour Sunday Morning public affairs program on KQV called "The Place-KQV" and a real coffee house on Market Street also called "The Place". I've been trying to get WQED to sponsor some sort of reunion show for the aging Baby Boomers who worked on the Place, with no luck so far. If anyone reading this was ever on either the WQED or KQV shows, I'd love to hear from them. They can e-mail me at erdner@mail.mlynk.com. George Erdner (April 6, 2001)
WDIG AM 950 Has A Great signal over Washington County, And their format the smooth touch sounds good. Even with WPNT AM 940 in the area the Signal is still strong. Good Luck to Del King. (April 6, 2001)
Why did Cris Winter leave WDVE and where did she go? Thanks! Steve F (April 6, 2001)
Why have you not mentioned that Edye Tarbox is now the morning host on Fox News Channells "fox and friends" and is getting killer ratings up against Katie Kouric, etc??? http://www.foxnews.com/channel/bio_donahey.sml, http://www.foxnews.com/channel/fox_friends.sml, http://shell.rmi.net/~jaded/ed.htm. (April 5, 2001)
Eric's Response: Perhaps because I wouldn't have recognized her at all! It wasn't until I looked at your link that took me to "The Many Faces of E.D. Donahey" that I realized it was really her!
In case you did not know, Keith Richards, morning persoanlity at WAMO was let go. He's hosted The Breakfast Jamasince Fall '98 with a number of people, including KDKA-TV news anchor Brenda Waters for the past year. he's persiously worked at WPEG Power 98 in Charlotte, amoth oter stations. Former WAMO afternoon driver (since '96) Toss Swaid is now doing nights at a similarly formatted Urban station In Cincinnatti, OH (WIZF-FM) and hosts a weekly Hip Hop and R&B video show on WBGN-TV (AT&T Bradband Channel 5 in the city) called Freshbytes every Friday Night at 8 p.m. ET. The show's website is http://www.freshbytes.com/.
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