PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio/TV Mailbag PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio & TV

PBRTV Mailbag August, 2002

Salt Lake City? Seems unlikely, but I do know that KSTU was on 20(?) for a while, and that KSTU comes very close to a public allocation (not used) in McGill, NV. What about WTVJ in Miami? Or maybe WPLG? BTW, do you remember any of the other allocations that were requested, or do you know where I could find a list? - Mark Ericson (August 29, 2002)
Eric: I believe the fourth VHF is in Salt Lake City ... Pat Cloonan. (August 27, 2002)
Eric and Mark: I don't think WNYT-13 was the fourth station allocated. I believe they were there long before the FCC rulemaking took place. Have looked on the Internet for that fourth allocation, but have come up empty (so far). I do know that far more than four new VHFs were proposed, but only four were approved by the FCC. Clarke (August 27, 2002)
In response to Clarke: Could it have been WNYT-13 in New York, which is only 145 miles? - Mark Ericson (August 26, 2002)
Eric, in response to your reader's question, channel 8 in Johnstown was one of four short-spaced VHF allocations that were shoehorned in by the FCC in a rulemaking in the late 1970's. Two of the others were channel 11 in Charleston, West Virginia and channel 8 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The fourth allocation escapes me at the moment. Regards, Clarke Ingram. (August 26, 2002)
I was wondering if you listened to b94 as of late, their voice-liner sounds the same as their rival Kissfm. Why? Also, I am shocked to hear a live Dj. on WDVE on Sunday Mornings. Why can't Clear Channel put a DJ. on Kiss during the weekdays yet they can put a Dj. on Sunday mornings. Finally, thanks for the Ohio Valley page. I love it. (August 26, 2002)

Eric's Response: Actually KISS-FM's voice sounds like B-94's voice. B-94 had him first. I also think he does a number of Clear Channel stations and our KISS is no exception. Don't be shocked to hear a live voice on DVE on Sundays. DVE has long been the cash cow of that family! KISS is the example that "Yes a station can be popular even when it's voice-tracked." Or so I have heard.
Hello all, I took a trip to Canada last week, and passed through Somerset and Pittsburgh. I noticed that WWCP came in well into Pittsburgh. I figured that this was to balance WGAL. BUT, when I returned home, I checked, and I found that WWCP not NOT conform to the minimum separation rules! Their transmitter is only 134 miles from WGAL, and 157 miles from WJW! It should be 170 miles! Where's the FCC on this one? - Mark Ericson, Formerly of VARTV (August 26, 2002)

Eric's Response: Is there a Dave Loudin in the house?!
Hi, I just discovered your site after a search (metacraawler) for Pittsburgh radio & TV info. Really enjoyed seeing some of the goins on and ther "whwere are they now" page. I'm returning to the 'Burgh after 12 years in Dallas. I worked at WDVE from 76-79 and the old FM97 in Braddock in 80-81. Later spent some time at 3WS between jaunts to Honolulu and San Jose, CA. I left raio for a while in the mid-80's but was drawn back while in Harrisburg in 1987. In '89, I hooked up with an old friend from California who was running the jazz/New Age WAVE format at Satellite Music Network out of suburban Chicago. In 1990 I became Operations Manager of the WAVE and the owners moved it all to Dallas. The ended, I went to Houston for 15 months and back to Dallas where I worked with Cary Pall (13Q in 77 or so and later at WTAE's FM). Thenstation took over the Oasis format (Smooth Jazz) in 1992 and I remained there until Spring of '99, I opened a web broadcastin venture in 1999 at smoothjazzonline.com. It bacame a "dot gone" like so many other good ideas. In 2000, I went to KLUV, programmed by Chuck Brinkman. I did a little of everything there for about 2 years. I've been bugging Chuck to write down or record some of his stories (interviewing the Beatles a few times, how he convinced KQV to play Tommy James' 'Hanky Panky' and so on.) Thought it would make a good book of interst to both Pittsburgh and Dallas. His wife has promised to stay on him about it. I joined DIsh Network satellite TV in sales last year and now am coming back to open our Pittsburgh marketing office around Sept. 1st. Wanted to share that with old radio friends like Terry Caywood, Jimmy Roach, Jim Merkel and others. Hoping to do some promotions with them and other Pittsburgh media. Pass it on if you would and ask around to see if anyone knows the whereabouts of former WDVE staffers Marsy (last name Posner now McFerren last I knew). Her husband Zack ran Flo's records around 1980. BTW Jay Cresswell is asst. PD with Brinkman at KLUV. The 3 of us had the distinction of having worked across from the Edgar Thompson works in Braddock. Thanks and I hope to stay in touch. Trevor Ley (August 25, 2002)
Why doesn't 99.3 pickle radio have a e-mail address set up? iS FISH GOING TO STAY AROUND ON THE 6A-11 SHIFT ? TY RAY (August 24, 2002)
WC in the March Mailbag was almost certainly Warren Cosford of Windsor, who is a radio consultant these days and runs the amazing "RadioPro" radio mailing list for Canadian radio people and hangers-on. Hope that helps! -s (August 22, 2002)

Eric's Response: Indeed it was! I found that out a while back in an email that I felt was too personal to post.
DEAR WEB MASTERS: THANKS FOR THE SIGHT. I LOVED IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE JOHN GARRY IS THESE DAYS? THANKS RRR (August 22, 2002)

Eric's Response: Last I knew, John is still in the area but takin it easy from radio. I think he'd be a perfect candidate for the afternoon slot at WJAS myself.
Sterling Yates definitely passed away on July 11, 1991. He was 65. Paul. (August 19, 2002)
I stumbled across some questions regarding WOPC-TV on an old mailbag page of yours (Oct 1-8, 2000). I was WOPC's program director for a short time in thelate 70s when it struggled on channel 38. It was owned by a man who tried to build a TV station on a shoestring. The building (atop Wopsononock Mountain, Blair County PA - the mountain's name is shortened to "Wopsy" in local parlance and that's where the WOPC call sign came from) included the owner's home on the second floor. Early in the morning he'd come down in his robe and slippers and fire up his government surplus transmitter. All of his equipment was surplus or used. We were still pre-satellite, and he couldn't afford to tap into the old transcontinental TV cable that fed the network signals. So, his ABC network broadcasts were actually rebroadcasts of the ABC affiliate in Harrisburg, PA (including their station ID graphic supers). Other programming at the time were taped airings of Pat Robertson's 700 Club and Jim Bakker's PTL club, Cartoons in the afternoon (Rocky & Bullwinkle is the one I remember), and occasionally some ancient mostly british movies, which he picked up because they were in the public domain and didn't require rights fees. There was no local programming. In the same non-insulated wood-framed portion of the building (the snow would blow through the wallboards in the hallway in the wintertime)was FM station WHGM (the Home of Good Music). We weren't running any taped music when I arrived there. The morning schedule was religious programming, then, in the afternoon, it was a cross of beautiful music/standards. There was no automation, no jingles, no DJ's. What we'd do is take a stack of 33 RPM albums and put them onto a record changer - the same kind that you'd see on your stereo console back then - and fire it up. During my shift in master control I'd have to go into the radio studio and make sure there was still enough music. When the last band on the last album played, I'd fire up a PSA (there were no spots), flip over the stack of albums and put them back on top of the record changer. Then the tone arm would lift up, the first album would drop down, and side 2 of the last record playing would air. At the top of each hour, I'd walk in and hit the legal ID in between bands of the album. Shortly before I left, he got a used automation system working and had bought some old beautiful music tape reels from someplace. The record changer was retired and we could actually run some liners and spot breaks (not that we ever had any spots). The station "family" included the owner, his wife, his small children, their dog, and their cat, the latter two having full run of the entire station. It was a unique experience working at that "chewing gum and bailing wire" operation. The station's rebroadcast/army surplus transmitter signal was so poor that the local cable company legally didn't have to pick it up, so Altoonans with cable still got their ABC coverage from WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh. But, at least over-the-air viewers now had ABC to go with CBS from WTAJ-TV and NBC from WJAC in Johnstown. Still, I had to admire this guy, who had next to no money, trying to operate a TV-FM combo because it was his dream to be an owner. I live in Florida now, but I have returned to Altoona and went up the mountain. The building is gone, only the concrete slab remains. Hope this is of interest - I realize the inquiry is two years old. I ran across it when I put "WOPC" into the Google search engine just to see what would happen. Lee Bowen Tallahassee (formerly of Altoona, PA)
Hi! I'm glad to have come across your website. I moved from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles 20 years ago. Seeing your site brought back a lot of memories. I'm curious--does anyone know if Sterling Yates is still alive? He used to work with Rege Cordic and he did a character called Mr. Winkle on KDKA. I remember he left KDKA shortly after Cordic left, but I wonder if he is still around. Thanks! JOE BACON (August 12, 2002)

Eric's Response: I don't think so. The only one left of the bunch is Karl Hardman. Bob Trow died in November 1998 and Cordic followed six months later. But I'm almost sure that Sterling Yates is no longer with us.
Does anyone know what happened to Faith Daniels? (Former consumer reporter on WTAE-TV late 70's - early 80's). I believe she went to the networks and I saw her pinch hit as a weekend or morning anchor on both CBS and NBC. I also spotted her on the very first installment of CBS's "48 Hours". After that I spotted her as spokesperson pitching some perscrpition antacid medication on TV commercials in the early 90's. Since then nothing. I was so taken with Faith as a teenager that I've always had a soft spot for her. My wife and I even have a daughter named Faith, partly named after Faith Daniels! Regards, Faith Fan (August 12, 2002)

Eric's Response: Faith was on the air at NBC for a long while. She did the news on the Today Show and went from there to host "A Closer Look" which aired every afternoon at 12:30. I forget what she went from there, but I do remember her pitching a few products.
Eric, I just spotted the message from someone I knew at CHUM asking, "What ever happened to Dan Siemasko?" 3/28/2002. I'm here at This email address. I can't remember the fellow's name, nor can I imagine Eric ________. Fill me in if you can. Reconnect me. Dan Siemasko in Pittsburgh (August 8, 2002)

Eric's Response: The "Eric" that "WC" was referring to was me. As far as "WC" I would like to know who that is too! That way I could reconnect you! For reference see the March, 2002 Mailbag.
Does anyone know the where abouts of Terry Lee of WMCK? (August 8, 2002)
eric, this is a wonderful site! i'm delighted to hear that someone is missing me! i'm living in connecticut and reporting as a freelancer on the michael skakel trial. he's the guy who was found guilty of killing a girl 27 years ago. i've done commentary on this for cbs news, fox news, court tv and boston tv stations. the sentencing is august 28th and i'll be doing more for fox news later this month. i really miss pittsburgh and the wonderful people there. i liked doing the kdka radio show so much....the listeners were great to me....i was 'the night light' and enjoyed every minute of it! i had some great regular callers who made the show! please give my best regards to pittsburgh folks for me! keep up the good work, i'm glad someone showed me this site, i'll be a regular visitor! fond regards to my pittsburgh friends, Jane Crawford (August 2, 2002)
(re: 7/30 message) I am surprised that anyone living in Moon Township is having difficulty getting WKBN at night. I live in the South Hills, and WKBN comes in better than many of the local AM stations where I live.....certainly better than our erstwhile "local" talk station WPTT, which most nights, I can't get at all. It does seem to be extremely directional at night though, and sometimes I have to physically rotate my radio around to get the best signal. (August 2, 2002)
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