WRBP flips to "101.9 Jamz"
Youngstown: There is a report on the Radio-Info.com board that WRBP 101.9 has flipped from Urban AC to Hip Hop / Urban as "101.9 Jamz." The younger leaning Hip Hop format has been on the AM dial in the area, but should gain more traction on the FM side of the dial. Urban listeners in Youngstown have tuned into WAMO 106.7 out of Pittsburgh or WENZ 107.9 out of Cleveland. Tom Lavery - SVRTVWKBN to produce WYTV newscasts
Youngstown: The Youngstown Business Journal has learned that New Vision station WKBN will be producing WYTV's newscasts. The soon to be Parkin Broadcasting station will pay WKBN $750,000 annually for their staff to produce "33 News." Why not pay the current WYTV staff $750,000 and keep them employed. It would be a lot more logical because both stations usually run newscasts at the same time. I'm actually surprised that they are not phasing out WYTV's newscast altogether (for even less competition.) Tom Lavery - SVRTV.Off the "Edge"
Pittsburgh: Inner City Broadcasting is selling Braddock-licensed "The Edge" WURP (1550) to BusinessTalkRadio.net, reports Pat Cloonan in the McKeesport Daily News. (Story not online.) That ends the LMA that Ed DeHart's Pittsburgh Radio Werks had maintained on the 1 kW (daytime power) signal for several years. BTR will add its lineup to WURP on April 15.According to Cloonan, Connecticut-based BTR does air some local content on its stations in New England and Las Vegas, and officials say they want to add local sports and community information to the station. That could bode well for the weekend lineup of local programs on WURP, which includes Dave Jaye's "Jazzin' Around" and "Saturday Light Brigade," the live, family-friendly program that emanates from the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.
"SLB" will continue to be heard on WURP and two non-commercial FMs for the immediate future, co-host Larry Berger tells PBRTV. WURP has been hampered by a lack of money for marketing, Cloonan says. WURP shares a tower in Braddock Hills with Wilkinsburg-licensed WPYT (660), an affiliate of Alex Langer's National Radio Network. Don Imus is also expected to return to WURP.
It's a guy thing
Pittsburgh:
Pittsburgh's new talk station will target men ages 25-49, says CBS Radio VP Keith Clark in a press release that finally lifts the lid on the new 93.7. On April 2, WRKZ (which is expected to get a new set of call letters, WTZN) launches as "The Zone," and will bill itself as "Pittsburgh's man station," with a lineup that includes Opie and Anthony in morning drive, Dennis Miller's new syndicated show in middays, John McIntire in afternoons and Scott Paulsen in PM drive. Jim Meltzer, VP and GM of CBS's Pittsburgh FM stations, says "93.7 The Zone will be neither conservative nor liberal. Its mantra is entertainment specifically designed for the men of Pittsburgh. We welcome this opportunity to create something unique in the market that isn't being heard anywhere else." Armchair Internet critics, start your sniping ... now! (Jason Togyer, PBRTV Correspondent)
What's the "Zone"?
Pittsburgh: A PBRTV reader wants to know what's up with the "Zone" branding that's reportedly coming to WRKZ-FM (93.7) on April 2. "In radio, names mean something, and 'The Zone' is not a good name for an FM talk station, unless it's sports-talk," this reader says.Hmmm! So, like President Bush, we went to The Google on The Internets to see what other CBS Radio stations called "The Zone" are doing. CBS's "Zones" in Rochester, N.Y. (WZNE) and Sacramento, Ca., (KZZO) are both CHR stations, not FM talkers. Though KZON in Phoenix used to be known as "The Zone" (hence the calls) when it was a CHR, now it's a "Free FM" station.
But Clear Channel uses "The Zone" on an FM talker in the Burlington, Vt., market (WXZO). And Entercom used to run a classic rock station called "The Zone" in New Orleans; it now simulcasts AM talker WWL. In short, we're just guessing (it's not the first time) and don't really know what we're talking about (ditto), but it doesn't look like "The Zone" brand has any consistent use nationally, unlike "Bob FM" or "Kiss FM."
In the meantime, if any CBS folks want to straighten us out --- officially or unofficially --- we'd love to hear from them in the "PBRTV Zone." (Jason Togyer, PBRTV Correspondent)
New FM talker April 2?
Pittsburgh: No foolin' --- on April 2 the new FM newstalker in Pittsburgh debuts, or at least that's what former KDKA (1020) and PCNC host John McIntire reports on his blog. And on his own website, Scott Paulsen has announced that he'll be holding down the 4 p.m. shift at the station.Paulsen says that CBS Radio's moribund WRKZ-FM (93.7) will become "The Zone 93.7." There's some speculation that "The Zone" will sound similar to the "Free FM" mix of talk and entertainment that the company has tried in other cities, including Philadelphia (WYSP-FM) and New York (WFNY-FM). But "Free FM" has fallen flat on its face in several markets ... which makes some insiders wonder why CBS is trying it here. It does explain why it's apparently getting a different name. (Jason Togyer, PBRTV correspondent)
Tesh show comes to 'JAS
Pittsburgh: In what seems like another move to shift WJAS (1320) from "music of your life" to a younger demographic, John Tesh's syndicated radio show joins the WJAS lineup on Monday. Currently heard from 12 midnight to 5 a.m. on sister station WSHH-FM (99.7), Tesh will pick up in the evenings on 'JAS at 7, when Mike McGann signs off.Also known as "Mr. Connie Selleca," the former "Entertainment Tonight" host has carved out a career in Christian contemporary music. His self-syndicated show is a mix of music, interviews and features and is heard on more than 200 stations in the U.S. and Canada.
Baker cooks up website
Pittsburgh: Former Pittsburgh and Erie newscaster Scott Baker is launching a video news website in partnership with Liz Stephans, a former editor at WTAE-TV's thePittsburghChannel.com. Breitbart.TV is a spinoff of the news portal Breitbart.com and will feature a daily, live talk show hosted by Baker and Stephans, along with video clips from ABC, AP, Fox News and other outlets.Baker and Stephans are already posting some video at the main Breitbart site, which was founded by "self-described right-leaning Hollywood basher" and former Drudge Report contributor Andrew Breitbart. Baker tells the Post-Gazette's Rob Owen, however, that Breitbart.TV will only have a bias to "breaking news," not to any political philosophy.
Shakeup at WKBN & WYTV begins
Youngstown: According to OMW, it appears that two of WKBN's main news anchors have put in their resignations. "27 First News" anchors Robb Schmidt & Sarah Eisler will be leaving WKBN & WYFX. Sarah's last day is March 30th while Robb will be leaving on April 6th. The resignations are due to ownership changes at WKBN / WYFX, now owned by "New Vision Television." They will be consolidating resources with WYTV, which will be owned by "Parkin Broadcasting." It looks like these changes are just the beginning. Stay tuned. (Tom Lavery, SVRTV)Jennifer on 4; Kaminski back at 11
Pittsburgh: The Post-Gazette says:- Jennifer Antkowiak's new half-hour show called "Jennifer" will begin a 26-episode run on weekends in June on WTAE-TV. Included will be one-minute segments which will air during commercial breaks and prime time specials are possibly in the works too. Do we see national syndication coming?
- WPXI reporter Renee Kaminski will be back on the air on 3/12 following a 7-week recovery from major surgery.
Rebecca Hower will return home to Erie
Erie-Meadville: According to an article in Thursday's Erie Times-News, Rebecca Hower will be leaving KDKA TV by the end of May. She will be moving back to Erie with her family because her husband has found a better job opportunity in the area. Rebecca has been handling weather duties for KDKA's morning & noon newscasts since 2001. She joined KDKA in 2000 as a reporter after working at WICU. Once she moves, her plans are to spend more time with her family. (Tom Lavery, EMRTV)Jennifer, here, there, everywhere
Pittsburgh: Wondering whatever became of former KDKA-TV (2) anchor Jennifer Antkowiak? No? Then don't read Mackenzie Carpenter's piece in the Post-Gazette, or else you'll learn that Antkowiak is preparing a new website (www.jennifertvshow.com), is planning her own talk show which launches in May, and is writing articles for Leslie Sansone's walkathome.com.And, of course, you definitely don't want to find out about Antkowiak's magazine, "At Home With Jennifer."
No word on whether she's getting a satellite radio show or her own chain of restaurants, but those can't be far behind.
A mini-commentary
Pittsburgh: This PBRTV Correspondent supports the troops, but I also support accurate news reporting. So I'm not sure what to make of reports this morning from KDKA (1020) reporter Rob Milford from the scene of an anti-war demonstration at a CMU robotics lab in Lawrenceville. Milford couldn't understand why they were protesting, he said, since the lab develops technology that "helps save American lives" in Iraq and makes bombing runs more accurate.His report came complete with heavy, exaggerated sighs. Speaking only for myself, I'm not sure that a protest at a CMU robotics lab makes a lot of sense. But a majority of Americans aren't sure the war in Iraq makes a lot of sense, either. "Maybe I'm biased," Milford, a former Fox News and CBS reporter who reported from the front lines in Iraq, said at one point.
Yes, Rob, with due respect --- we think maybe you're biased, too. If you want a talk show, ask for a talk show. If you want to do commentary, do commentary. But news reports don't need such theatrics. (Mini-commentary by Jason Togyer, PBRTV Correspondent)