PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio/TV Mailbag
PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio & TV
PBRTV Mailbag August 10-31, 2001
By the way, here's an important announcement for the mailbag --- this Saturday on Jet-Prop Electra (possibly the last time in the current slot) ... at 8:20 a.m., we'll have an interview with a certain famous children's television host who's retiring after 34 years. You won't want to miss that! Wake the kids, phone the neighbors, it's Jet-Prop Electra, 6 to 9 a.m. Saturday on WRCT, 88.3. - Jay Thurber, Host...A.K.A. Jason Togyer(August 31, 2001)
Eric ~ Yes it is WQHZ @ 102.3, My error but it is good that people are out there watching for things like that on this page. It should be interesting when the change occurs @ The Point in Erie. Of course the loss of Alternative / Active Rock will not be for long after The Planet @ 93.9 comes on sometime. One more thing on two am stations in the area. WPSE 1450 has been a disaster since going Business Talk from Regular Talk. It would be interesting if Penn State Behernd College (Owner of WPSE) would go with a younger leaning talk format that would give the area another choice in Talk besides WJET 1400. As for WEYZ 1530 in North East, Corry Broadcasting should Either try a 100% Classic Country format on it or sell it. Possibly to North East high school for the students there to run & learn some technical skills going into college for communications. The Phone quality simulcast of WWCB's
signal during the day is a waste. Tom L. (August 30, 2001)
Tom has made a slight mistake. Regent has filed for the calls, WQHZ, not WMHQ, on 102.3 in Erie. These were filed pending the sale, which should be any day now. Another note, every station, just about
everywhere, identifies the owner with the calls at the top of the hour
these days. Clear Channel has finally received the calls for their new
FM in North Kingsville, Ohio...WFXJ, and according to someone in sales
over there, Clear Channel is building new facilities for all stations,
WZOO, WREO, WFUN and WFXJ in North Kingsville at or near the new
transmittor site. And remember to update the stations page because WLKK AM is now WJET AM 1400. (August 29, 2001)
Hi Eric I'm Bob Corbin the VARTV page editor. If you go to my page
there is some information about Pat Parris (sports anchor) returning to
Pittsburgh that might interest your readers. (http://www.geocities.com/~dcrtv/vartv.html) (August 29, 2001)
Could the move also be a defensive move if 940 WPNT tries a talk format. Could Dr. Laura Clear Channel go to 970 Clear Channel? the KDKA suggestion for Dr. Laura would be the loss of another local job .. i hope not (August 29, 2001)
Eric's Response: Obviously the big announcement on KDKA is not the fact that Dr. Laura is arriving. We found out that she is headed for WPIT-AM which is flipping to talk on Labor Day. I would not ever look for her on WBGG because it's all sports. I somehow get the feeling that guys into sports wouldn't want Dr. Laura's sometimes-sappy, often-crappy attitude interrupting the sports programming.
Eric, the Post-Gazette reports that Dr. Laura is moving to WPIT-AM 730, which will be dropping its Southern Gospel format for Talk starting Monday. Regards, Clarke Ingram. (August 29, 2001)
Eric: I would hope that Dr. Laura's star will soon fade from existence--just as her former boyfriend, Bill Ballance, disappeared from Pittsburgh radio more than 20 years ago (At least he was creative!). I've never heard a more self-righteous, moronic, egotistical yenta in my life. The fact that there are people who actually idolize that creature ("Oh, Dr. Laura! You're my idol!") actually makes my skin crawl. I would hope that KDKA--of all people--would promote the myriad LOCAL talk talent with their 50,000-watt clear signal, instead of taking the easy way out and forcing such dreadful rubbish down everyone's throats. Art Bell, Joey Reynolds, Tom Leykis--ANYBODY but her! I know--Let's see if Michelle Maddoff wants to come back...Ed (August 28, 2001)
Loved catching up on where the former Pittsburgh jocks and TV stars have gone since I used to listen to growing up in Franklin Park.
I worked as a part-time jock on WMYG, Magic 97 back in the 80's and then returned to do middays at that frequency in the early 90's when it flipped to the hard edge sound of 97 ROCK. In 1993, I moved to Washington, DC to do mornings on WCXR a classic rocker which we later flipped to Smooth Jazz. Currently, I'm programming the station and occasionally filling in (when I have time). Good job on your site.
Best wishes, Kenny King Program Director WJZW ABC/Disney (August 28, 2001)
Eric's Response: Oddly enough, when I am in DC I stay right across Wisconsin Ave. at the Embassy Suites Chevy Chase Pavilion! I have visited the old World Bldg. WGAY/WWRC studios and the current Clear Channel FM complex on Rockville Pike. But it's only been in the last couple of years that I realized I was "across the street" from your complex. Must be the Mazza Gallerie in the way!
A few thoughts on the big announcement to be made on KDKA on September 6: In view of the deal announced the other day for Sean Hannity to take his WABC show national, maybe The Big K will pick up the show, move Honsberger to mornings, and Cigna retires? Or now that WPTT is dropping Dr. Laura, that her show is moving to 1020? I agree with your contention that KDKA will not change formats; I don't see what else they could do. (August 28, 2001)
(follow up to previous message) Also, Eric, while scanning the dial this morning, I heard Jerry Bowyer announce that Dr. Laura "would be gone" next week and that he will now be on from 8 to noon. Hmmm...KD's announcement must include the arrival of Dr. Laura to their
schedule. My musings: Cigna to retire or part-time, Honsberger to AM drive, Dr. Laura, Rush, Pintek to PM Drive. Even better (but unlikely), creation of KDKA II (on FM) with syndicated Infinity programming skewed younger than "KDKA I". As always, keep up the good work on the site.
LB (August 28, 2001)
WPTT 1360 is "1360 The Point" as of Monday 8/27/01. There appears to have been no offical call letter change but the change has been full and well-executed, including on the many pre-recorded promos. Either someone recognized the image needed to be tightened and the station given a nickname or...could it be a gradual transition or phase-in to something bigger (FM simulcast?) -- LB (August 28, 2001)
Eric's Response: It's interesting to me that "The Point" keeps coming back. First you might recall WPNT-FM on 92.9 in the early 80's. That was Beautiful Music. Then of course in the 90's we had WZPT-FM act as "The Point" with 70's, then 70's and 80's and then 70's - 90's. Now WPTT. Perhaps this is a situation in talk radio of "GET TO THE POINT!"
Ref: CHWO am740. Glad to see Tom's post. The Friday night Prime Time Bandstand program really does it right. It not only runs until
midnight, but then, the oldies continue all night as I found out in the
wee hours as the song goes - tossing and turning. I just wish I was in
ground wave range of CHWO; all the evening programs are a refreshing
oasis on the AM (and FM) bands. They even rate a button on my car radio much like WABC, WKBW etc did when all these songs were new. Good
stuff. Howard (August 26, 2001)
I had an email from Don Jefferson saying that hopefully some things are in the works for He will let us know when the time comes. PBRTV Eric (August 25, 2001)
Eric, I know Don Jefferson left Pittsburgh and was on WQEN in Birmingham, Alabama. However, I think he is no longer employed there. Can you find out why and where he is headed, like maybe back to PGH?
Phil Pusateri (August 20, 2001)
Eric's Response: Don left WQEN in July. In fact his cohost left too. I have not heard from him as of yet, but I hope to hear something soon.
Eric, To answer a reader's question regarding WZPT accepting tapes and resumes for the mid-day shift... Kate Harris, formerly of middays, is currently on Star's morning show. She probably will get the nod to that position freeing up middays. Ex-WJJJ employee, Kerrie Griffith, is handling the 10a-3p show for Star now. My bet is Kerrie becomes full time there, but perhaps Infinity has to post the job to meet EEOC requirements. In my humble opinion, Kate sounds great in the morning and Kerrie sounds wonderful in her slot. --Anonymous (August 19, 2001)
Does anyone know why Star 100.7 is accepting applications for the mid-day shift? (August 19, 2001)
Eric's Response: I know that Vicki Cohill left WZPT for WLTJ about a month ago, but she hosted the morning show.
What is the big secret at KDKA? Is roy fox coming back to replace the retiring cigna? Maybe Jimmy Roach or Larry Richart or Quinn. or is it something so simple as they will be the official radio station of Heinz field or something like the pens are coming back to kdka? does anybody know? (August 16, 2001)
Eric's Response: I would imagine it might be one of the latter. Although, who knows. Heinz Field would be claimed by Clear Channel since the Steelers are on 102.5 and 970. Pens? Nah, 94.5 and 970. Roach, Richart, Quinn or Fox? Probably not...
Eric, as long as WOGH puts a city-grade signal over Burgettstown from their present transmitter site, they can ID as Burgettstown, even if they haven't moved the site yet. Burgettstown is 13 miles from Steubenville, so they should be fine in this regard. I'm sure that their application to move to WTOV's new tower will follow shortly, if it hasn't already. Regards, Clarke Ingram. (August 15, 2001)
Eric ~ Not much shaking in Erieland but I wanted to make a comment. This concerns the coverage on Fox Sports Pittsburgh of the Bill Mazeroski ceremony before the Pirates game. (By the way it was great that 2 legends are finally in the Baseball & Football Halls' of Fame, "Maz" & Lynn Swann.) I thought the numerous commercial breaks during the Mazeroski ceremony broadcast were tacky. I feel that the ads could have waited until the ceremony was over. It would be interesting to find out why the ads were running during a special ceremony for # 9? And a bit of radio news........The powerful CHWO am 740 from Toronto is featuring speciality programs 7 till 11 each weekday evening. One program I find interesting is called "Prime Time Bandstand." A show that features alot of Rock & Roll from the 50's & 60's. Alot of the music is Pre Beatles & can take you back to the days of WABC & CKLW, per se. It's on Friday nites & hopefully WPIT 730 will not cause alot of interference in picking up the show in the Burgh. The times are changing, as the Oldies format is leaning more 70's while the Nostagia format is more 60's leaning. What do You think? Tom L. (August 15, 2001)
Eric's Response: Yes, you would think that stations and networks would have more of a reasonable thought when it came to things like commercials during the ceremony. I also notice the oldies changes and I find them sad. It means that while most stations have a large amount of music they play only a small selection of it. It's why I still like the easy listening format. You have different renditions of a tune that could be repeated...and you'd never get bored. Oh well, more on THAT topic soon.
Brett, Tom Leykis isn't available locally, but you can try to catch his show on 810 WGY from Schenectady, NY, via skywave. Of course, you will have to wait until local WEDO signs off and for the nighttime skip to cooperate. WGY runs the show from 6-10 pm. This time of year, I am usually able to pick it up by 8:30, but can catch the whole show in the winter. If the rumors that Infinity may flip 100.7 to hot talk are true, there's a chance that Leykis may be part of the lineup, but I wouldn't hold my breath. --Steve (August 14, 2001)
Eric's Response: I wouldn't hold it either.
Eric: Years ago, for a project a fellow named Bob Nelson was doing at WLTJ, he had Pete Morley bring me by to record a mock-up of a CKLW newscast-- done in the once-popular dramatically graphic fashion: "The car struck the man in the intersection, dragging him from 'Walk' to 'Don't Walk'... Bob was in his final days as Production Director there, before taking off to points long forgotten. I just though of him the other day when my mother in Greensburg told me of finding some old KQV charts, which Bob gave me (This guy had hundreds of 'em! Jeff Roteman ought to find him!). Anybody know what happened to him? Is Pete Morley still in this racket? Ed Weigle (August 13, 2001)
Eric's Response: Mr. Morley is still in town doing production work at Clear Channel. He went from WLTJ to WJJJ as production director a few years back and then got gobbled up into the six stations of Clear Channel.
Eric, WOGH cannot change city until they have the new site
appproved! You have to have the signal in the area
before you can re-locate the license. A CP does not
give authorization to change city of license without
coverage. (August 13, 2001)
Do you know if we can listen to the Tom Leykis show in Pittsburgh?
I just moved here from Florida. Brett Lawrence (August 13, 2001)
Eric's Response: Can anyone help us out?
Eric, Some great hits this past week, enjoy your site.....you're a radio NUT!!!!! Some thoughts on the first week of girl talk on LTJ!!!!.... I found it un-even, and lacks flow.....local or not.....Delilah has that formula, be it local or not!!! (August 13, 2001)
Dear Eric:
In response to a few Mailbag posts, cable companies often carry local
channels on other than their assigned frequencies in order to avoid
interference from their direct signals. If there is leakage anywhere
along the route from the headend to the viewer's receiver due to
inadequate shielding or having a strong direct signal, or both, there
will be interference in the form of ghosting and a wide dark bar (which
is actually a ghost of the horizontal blanking signal). Radio signals
travel slower in cable than they do in the air; also the signal will
usually arrive at the headend at a different time than it does at the
viewer's location, and when the same signals but with different timings
are combined, ghost is the result.
--
In many types of coaxial cable, it takes about 1.5 nanoseconds for a
signal to travel one foot, but in the air, it takes only about 1
nanosecond to go a foot. It takes 53,386.7 nanoseconds to trace one line
of picture from the left visible edge of the screen to the right edge so
the delay of a few miles of cable will cause a noticeable ghost if there
is significant signal leakage. Channel 11 is often carried on 12 to
avoid such interference, and in localities near TV transmitters, such
strong channels are also shifted to others on the cable. If the cable
company does any frequency conversion where the output freq. is not
locked to the input, there will be beat interference as well which shows
up as bars or a herringbone pattern.
--
In my opinion, carrying a local channel on a different cable channel will
not increase susceptibility to interference due to storms. I am NOT a
cable subscriber but am one of the remaining 15% (the number keeps
dwindling) of people who do not pay a monthly fee for TV reception.
Nonetheless, I occasionally experience heavy interference on Ch. 2. This
is due to "skip" where unusual conditions in the atmosphere cause bending
of radio signals that normally travel only in straight lines, thus
bringing in other Channel 2s from hundreds or thousands of miles away,
resulting in interference. If the cable headend is some distance away
from Channel 2's transmitter in the North Hills, it will be just as
susceptible to such interference as are farther away off air viewers and
the only solutions would be to set up a receive site much closer to the
transmitter or get a direct feed from the studio and microwave or fiber
optic link it to their headend, expensive propositions which would raise
sky high cable bills even more. Channels 2-6 are the most susceptible to
skip interference, particularly Ch. 2; it is rare on 7-13 and very rare
on UHF (but I've seen it!). It's a good thing that Ch. 1 didn't have any
early takers because such interference would be even more worse there;
1940s FM radio was in this spectrum and below, and FM is much more
resistant than TV to such interference.
--
Regarding WAMO, at the corner of Eighth Ave. and the Homestead High-Level
Bridge used to be a business called the Radio Center Sweet Shoppe. It
might be that the WAMO studio was on the second story of this building,
but when I first saw this shop, WAMO had already moved to the Blvd. of
the Allies where their call letters were in large neon lights on the side
of their building. It later dropped "Radio Center" from its name in
consideration of the fact that the station had been gone from there for
some years.
--
Regarding WOGH, with little exception, a legal station ID consists of the
call letters followed by the city of license, so if they are legally
Burgettstown now, it should be identified as such regardless of the
transmitter location. (August 13, 2001)
Eric, Just checked your Site - how great a readership you have! Thanks to Ed Weigle who set me right about John Christian with "faux" accent. I don't know what that is Ed, but when I listened to "Sir Walter" ( Mr. C), and have remembered his radio accent, it is VERY much sounding of a well-educated (university) Carribbean/Jamaicaian(s) who I've known over the years. Thanks also to the anonymous E-mail sender on Aug 11 about "Chaos". He has the synopsis of the record right - so I guess he has listened to his tape. Being young I was impressionable, so I thought it ran for weeks. Thanks to your writer for correcting me, that it was only 1 day (seemed like weeks). "If you're 13 or 8, and you're thinking it's great...radio!". . ."An engineer has just been shot here in the KOS news room...wherever it happens..even if we have to make it happen on KOS!" (then group sings jingle). Ah, the memories. . .it could only happen in the States, and Pittsburgh in particular. By the way, you're anonymous E-mailer is right - it was "Chaos - Pt 1 & 2" by Robert Arbogast & Stan Ross, and it's on Liberty 45-LB-966 Asa Music, F-55197 Vocal & Instrumental 3:12 & 3:17.....those were the days! Thanks Eric for space & for your correspondents!---John, ex-Pgher, UK (August 12, 2001)
Eric, Effective July 27, 2001, WOGH was approved to change their city of license from Steubenville to Burgettstown. And as of today, August 12th, they have yet to change the ID. Who out there wants to notify the FCC of this!?!? This was not a tower relocation. At least not yet. They have a CP or App. up for a new tower to the east of Burgettstown now, which has yet to be approved. They tower they are transmitting is from Steubenville, still. But, yes, WOGH is breaking a rule and the FCC needs to do something about it! But, I doubt they even care about official legal IDs anymore...WPQR Uniontown has officially changed their call letters to WPKL. Also, WZNW Wheeling is now WVKF, another "kiss-FM" CHR station. In my opinion, WVKF does a helluva better job at the CHR format than our WKST does. They actually have a much better variety, play ALL of the top 40, and have live and local jocks. I actually wish CC would flip 96.1 and 105.5 WVKF ...lol.
(August 12, 2001)
Hello Eric: Has anyone watched WPGH Fox{53} lately. I have a good picture, but the sound is terrible. Also whenever it storms KDKA CBS {2} gets real a real bad picture. I have cable TV, you would think my cable system would try to improve it. KDKA on my cable is on Channel 16. Years ago when it was on Channel 2 on my cable it was clear, and when it stormed it never messed up. Does anyone agree that my cable company put it on the wrong channel postion? In my option it should be on Channel 2. Does anyone agree with me about that. Also I have listed to WOGH Froggy 103.5 to the ID check, they still say:
WOGH Steubenville/Pittsburgh/Wheeling. I thought they changed city licned. Thanks for your time.Great website Eric!!!!!!! (August 12, 2001)
Eric's Response: This is becoming an all-too common complaint that apparently is denied by the station. I have never noticed any problems with WPGH myself...and maybe because I don't always watch it. WOGH probably should be "Steubenville/Wheeling/Pittsburgh" but yes, there was supposed to be a transmitter relocation to Washington County. I don't think, however, that it will mean a change of city of license. As long as a transmitter is located with in range that it can reach 75-100% of the city of license, then it's a legal license. I don't think Burgettstown is close enough to make that impact on Pittsburgh unless the signal is super strong. I can receive 103.5 here in the greater North Hills though.
to whom it may concern, i'm looking for a video(vhs) copy of the steelers/falcons game played on aug. 3rd could please direct this email to the right ext. thank you' jason foster (August 11, 2001)
Eric's Response: While I have no interest in sporting events, I know some of you folks do. If you have a way to provide Jason with a VHS copy of the August 3rd Pre-Season game, please email me here and I will direct it to him.
Dear Eric: In response to your Mailbag writer who wants to know the record played on WCAE as it changed to WRYT, it was Chaos by Arbogast & Ross from 1959, for KOS Radio. This ran for just one 24 hour day, not 2-4 weeks (it only seemed that long). I phoned someone who worked there at the time and he confirmed the length of the run. I remember tuning in for a while (this was probably in 1959 on the last day that 1250 was WCAE before changing to beautiful music WRYT - "In the air everywhere over Pittsburgh") and I specifically remember the DJ introducing "Travelin' Man" by Rick Nelson and then playing Chaos. This was done for many other song titles as well.
I just dug out and listened to a tape of Chaos to refresh my memory. It has a "station jingle" that sings "K O S, Chaos Radio." It does several put downs of the 1958 Ritchie Valens tune, "Donna" by having a groaning voice singing "Oh Linda," "Oh Emily," and "Oh Blanche," among others. It has a newscast where background sound effects are so loud that the announcer can't be heard, and it has an engineer being shot so they even make the news. Sports scores are given without the team names and another jingle sings about if you're 8 or 13, 13 or 8. It ends with the station being sent into orbit over the DJ's protests of just working there for the money, followed by a classical announcer introducing Rachmaninoff. (August 11, 2001)
Eric's Response: The author of this email, who chooses to remain nameless, said that at the time of this happening, 1250 WCAE/WRYT was located in the Carlton House in Downtown Pittsburgh (Now the site where the Mellon Building sits today - 500 Grant Street.) before its move to 400 Ardmore Blvd.
Hi, Eric! Sir Walter of WAMO was (is) John Christian of WPXI-TV. He used to dress up in an English butler outfit, wear a monacle and talk in a faux accent. I've never heard that he was Jamaican. He was one of the "Big Three" in the early days of WAMO, with the late Bill Powell and the very-much-alive Porky Chedwick. Does anyone know if The Pittsburgh Courier still has the photos they took at some of the early rock and roll/ R&B shows? While I was on the air in Chicago, about seven years ago, I bought some framed photos-- credited to that pioneering newspaper (America's first Black newspaper, I believe)-- for about 60 bucks a pop of Jackie Wilson and Roy Hamilton. How an antique store there came to acquire them, I don't know; the shop owner was rather vague. There were also shots of Clemente and other sports figures, including players with our local Negro League ball teams. I even remember some candid photos taken on the streets of Pittsburgh of African Americans at a bus stop, one of whom was holding a city newspaper with the banner headline "Grosso Indicted," or something to that effect. If those photos exist, what a great showcase it could be in book form of not only Black history, but our city's history. I'd certainly buy it. Ed Weigle (August 11, 2001)
Eric's Response: Ah John Christian. Such a distinctive man, but I am sure he wasn't Jamaican!
Dear Eric, I've not been on the Net for yonks so I've had to do a lot of "cramming" of your interesting column.
1.) It was interesting to read Skinny Kenny's info on WZUM. Ironic, but I came home on leave in the USAF a few days before President Kennedy was shot. Being a radio freak (anarak( then as now, I wasn't even aware of WZUM.
2.) Whatever happened to "Sir Walter Raleigh", WAMO?? Was he REALLY Jamaican??
3.) Many (!) years ago when when WCAE changed to WRYT, does anybody remember the record that was played 24/7 for more than 2 weeks - or was it 4 weeks?. . .day in day out??? It has surfaced in my collection. . .which I got from Woolworths 5 & dime store in Wilkinsburg (in '63-?) which was called a "Grab Bag" of either 5 or 7 45-RPM singles (remember them?) for $1 plus tax.
Anyway, can anyone remember that record??? It drove Pghers nuts!
John, UK (August 11, 2001)
Eric's Response: I thought Sir Walter founded North Carolina! (That was supposed to be funny.) WRYT annoyed Pittsburgh with a song? I thought WRYT was an easy listening station way prior to WSHH's arrival.
What a great blast to read Kenny Reeth's email! I remember well the "Reeth and King" show, and Kenny's later work on WAMO. One name stands out from Kenny's note: Tony Quinn did some of the best production work ever done on WAMO. I worked in WAMO engineering for Jim Herbert at the time (in the early 60's) when Kenny and Tony worked there.
BTW, I think Kenny has been away from Pittsburgh for a while. If he thinks about it, he will remember WHOD/WAMO was on the air from Homestead, rather than Homewood. Paul, aka Eddy Current. (August 10, 2001)
Dear Eric, Well,well. Just out of curiosity I punched in my father's name, and found your web site. I was VERY surprised to find ANY mention of Ted "Cap'n Jim" Eckman anywhere. I read a letter from Ed Weigle asking about him. My Dad was Cap'n Jim from about Sept. of 1959 to around 1965. It was an after-school time slot with Popeye cartoons and skits borne of my Dad's creativity. Even my memory is faulty on the dates,etc. He was out of work for about 5 years,doing this and that 'til Channel 11 brought him back around 1970 for a few years, in a morning format for much younger kids. He had to run the syndicated "New Zoo Review",so had little time for his own creativity. I think that show was only a half-hour,his first show was an hour. Before coming to Pittsburgh in 1959, we lived in Youngstown, Ohio where he worked for WKBN as other children's characters...Grizzly Pete (old cowboy),and Major Ted (space explorer). Any old Youngstowners out there remember THOSE?? Dad died in 1991 at the age of 79 (yup, only 79!)about 6 months before his 80th bd. He did his own makeup...he was only 48 years old in 1959! He was survived by his wife and three daughters of which I am the eldest. My mom,Martha, is 13 years younger than Ted...she remarried (an old high school flame) in 1995,and is now living in Florida.
I've often thot about doing a little book on my Dad's life,so I'd love to hear from anyone who has memories of Captain Jim,or any of my Dad's characters. He also went by the name of Ted Niemi in Younsgtown on WKBN radio or TV. I don't have a website, by you could email at cjpip50@hotmail.com Thanks from "CJ" (August 10, 2001)
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