PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio/TV Mailbag

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

PBRTV Mailbag January/February 2007

Why did Pittttsburgh's CW (WPCW) cut "The KDKA TV Morning News On Pittsburgh's CW"? Ryan, Kennedy Township (February 9, 2007)

Eric's Response: It was cut down to one hour for the time being due to lack of viewership.

Hi Eric! I come from Montreal Quebec where the Montreal Canadiens plays. The thing is we have a couple of sports channel like www.rds.ca where there is a talk back. So my question is, Is there a tv station that has is own sport web site like the one mention above in the area of Pittsburgh? I m a big fan of the Penguins. I can t find nothing on the web. If you know a web site let me know please. Thank you very much and please scuse my french !!! Go Pens Go!! Robert (February 7, 2007)

Any news as to why 570 WKBN in Youngstown has replaced the Rollye James Show with the Savage Nation? Rollye was on last night (2/5) at the regular time, so I was surprised when I turned on the radio tonight and heard Michael Savage instead. 570's website was no help, as they still show Rollye on from 10 PM - 1 AM on the station's schedule. Is her show gone for good in the Youngstown area or is it going to be on another station? -Juli (February 7, 2007)

Eric, I have noticed Renda Broadcasting already owns the domain for 910WPTT.com According to the WHOIS Directory, the site was registered on April 12, 2005 and since the construction permit has already been approved for WPTT, we can assume this will be the new website for WPTT. (February 2, 2007)

I didn't know there was such a site as this. I was just surfing the net trying to find out what Brent Whigam from SAM-FM 107.1 in Greensburg looked like for the girls at work. SAM is one of very few stations that we can get in clearly at the plant where we work. Were just wondering if he is as "cute" as he sounds. It's a decent station. I guess they don't have a site to visit. (January 31, 2007)

re: your Erie story.... we welcome those listeners at www.wnio.com or for those closer down route 11 in ohio or route 79 in Pa..1390/WNIO... (January 30, 2007)

Hi Eric - I'm Kathy Svilar - you would know me as the "shop n SAve Lady" in Pittsburgh from 1984 until 2003. I love this web site!!! I buy media in our city - and many others across the country for my client Real Estate riches. I was looking for additional info on small (sub market) talk stations in and around Western Pa. I found you!!! thanks, the site is informative and really fun. I loved looking up the various on-air talent ...seeing where they are now! I have an ad agency here in our city, and write and produce film and video projects. I usually do the voice and on camera work - hey, I'm a one stop shop! I will return and visit your site often. I am glad to have the info about the possible CBS fm talk with McIntrye...I love him. I work with the arbitron and neilson data - now I'm going to just check you out! my best, Kathy (January 29, 2007)

Do you remember Sandy Mason? She had a kids show on WTAE in the 60s with Joe Negri. She had 2 ventriloquist dolls, Tommy and Granny. She had some records out then, including I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know. (January 29, 2007)

Noticed WPTT was granted a construction permit to take over 910AM from WAVL and increase daytime power to 9000 watts. WAVL granted switch to 1360AM with a reduction in power from 5000 to 2000 watts. Possible transmitter move in the works for both stations. Any comments to this? (January 22, 2007)

Eric's Response: This has been going on for a few years, but as you say, the CP is official as of the last week or two. I'm sure the decision to do this was not easy and since this has been in the works for a while, I'm guessing there may have been a snag or two along the way. 'PTT will benefit with the swap as will WAVL. With the stick relocations, both stations look to benefit by a daytime increase in power. The one irony in all of this is that 1360 was the first station owned by Renda Broadcasting in the early 1970s.

I was a fan of WRKZ. I thought the on air talent was more personable than other stations in the market. People Like Dave Cook (who now does part time work on a country station in Erie), Bob Orilee, Megan Slater, Nick Zopolis, Kravin, and Chris Mack offered their opinions, views, and humor when appropriate. They also have a good rapport with their listeners. True David Lee Roth was more trouble than what he was worth as a morning show host. In fact, his show completely bombed in every market that picked him up. Opie and Anthony helped the markets somewhat save face and rebounded the ratings to a little more respectable level. But, WRKZ went wrong by bringing in Kidd Chris. How else does one describe the ratings falling below what they were with Roth as the morning show? The listeners spoke and they did not want for this change to happen. K Rock WAS the alternative to 'DVE in that the station played rock that 'DVE has not played in over 15 years. When was the last time anyone heard any of the following acts on 'DVE: Sex Pistols, Iron Maiden, Dio, Motorhead, Megadeth, Metal Church, Accept? Now it seems that K Rock will become another Free FM offering listeners more failed or troubled former morning show guys in a round the clock morning zoo marathon style format in which they can all regurgitate the same useless pop culture crap that the show six hours ago already did. Well done CBS Radio. Obviously they don't care what the listener wants to hear, they would rather tell the listener what they are going to hear. By the way, great site Eric. Herman (January 22, 2007)

Eric, to answer a couple of questions in the Mailbag: Cris Winter is still in town and has a very basic web page (photo and contact link) at www.criswinter.com . John McIntire burned too many bridges at PCNC/WPXI to come back and host "Night Talk." Anyway, he'll soon have his hands full with a new show on the 93.7 talk station. Vic (January 21, 2007)

Since BOB FM is a popular subject, am I the only one who gets annoyed by their TV commercial? It has been running now for what seems like 10 years on the early evening news, every night. No change in the dumb thing in all of this time. That sing-song voice is bad enough, but they split up the commercial by squeezing a different ad between it. (A car dealer breaks up their commercial the same way.) I don't listen to BOB because of their commercial, but according to their ratings, I guess I'm the only one in Pittsburgh who doesn't. Mike Smalley West Mifflin, PA (January 19, 2007)

Eric, A friend of mine happened to hear Mike Pintek on KMOX (1120), St. Louis the other night. He said that Mike sounded as if he was filling in for someone at that time (3-6 am), but would be back on at his regular time the next day!!! Does anyone know if he's now working there? Was hoping he'd be able to stay local, but am happy if he is. Alice K (January 19, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone has caught any of the new radio station in Greensburg, SAM-FM 107.1. I listen to it now every morning because I think Just George and Brent Whigham do a pretty nice job. Its nice to see a station with a decent signal doing a lot of local stuff instead of all that stuff pumped in from other areas. The newscast is really good too if you care about what's going on in Westmoreland County. Anyone else like this station???? Jason, Murrysville (January 18, 2007)

Hi Eric I just wanted to know if you have any Idea on how the100.5 Jack FM was doing on the ratings and also to see if you heard any thing about Clear Channel selling off its Wheeling stations I heard that the dear old froggy bunch was buying more of their stations they already bought 105.5 Kiss and turned it into Cool 105.5 Oldies radio I heard that they may even bring back the Womp Fm on one of those stations have you heard anything Thanks (January 14, 2007)

I was listening to KDKA-AM aka The world's first radio station aka the 50,000 watt blowtorch. Even with all that self-hype, they didn't have the technology to play a burnt CD. Where's Frank Conrad when you need him? Rick (January 14, 2007)

Eric, Any idea if Cris Winter..ex WDVE and 3WS DJ is still in the Pittsburgh area? I hope she can stay local. Thanx, Mark Smith (January 9, 2007)

I have an idea. Why not get John McIntyre to host "Night Talk?" I would start watching it again. Mike Smalley, West Mifflin (January 6, 2007)

Hello, I really enjoy your PBRTV website and I wanted to let you know that I have created a new website in honor of WTAE's Wendy Bell. The site has some screen captures I have made and I hope you'll check it out. Thank you. The link is: http://wendybellfan.tripod.com/ By the way, I have added your website to my links page. JF (January 6, 2007)

I am a total loss of words and thought when it comes to KDKA Radio. Eric can you or one of the people who visit your site please explain this constant transition occurring at KDKA Radio? From an outsider's perspective, it seems that the power-to-be are looking to have programming as cheap as possible. They have axed a lot of the local on-air talent. They have removed the Pittsburgh connection with the station by shoving syndicated talk shows down our throats like Bill O'Reilly. This commitment to syndicated shows has removed much of the hometown flavor from the radio station. Overall, do these syndicated programs provide the same type of ratings in comparison to Pittsburgh-based programs. I only talk to a limited number of people, but I have not heard one person say that they are happy or glad to listen to these syndicated shows over the shows with hosts employed by KDKA. This is the reason I think this transition has to be fueled by money. Remember when they got rid of Chris Moore for John McIntyre? They gave all kinds of reason for this move, and now McIntyre was released. What is going on? They are going to fill that air time with Neal Boortz. Do you think the days of KDKA Radio with the Pittsburgh are over for good? The quality of the programming on the station has continuosuly decreased. In decrease, I speak of the elimination of programming dealing specifically with Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania area. I think you said once before it is difficult to gauge the ratings for a station like KDKA, but I would have to imagine that there listening audience has declined since all these changes began to be implemented. I do not think the decisions for these changes were made locally. Who is behind this whole transition and do they even care about the audience they are targeting? Thank you. (January 3, 2007)

Eric's Response: The question should be, what audience are they really trying to target? Are they trying to make KDKA appeal to a younger audience? Perhaps. But being a member of "a younger audience" I was quite happy with what I heard before the changes. We've all heard the "if it ain't broke" statement. Unfortunately in trying to fix what wasn't broken, they broke it and now someone needs to fix it. I just don't see that happening in the way we would hope - bringing back the hosts who brought in the ratings, etc. Your "outsider perspective" is pretty accurate too. All of radio is trying to do things for as little as possible. Who could blame them? They want to save too. However, the more audience a host reaches should and would allow a station to charge more for coveted ad time there. I'm sorry, but I'm thinking logically again. As to whether these decisions were made locally or on the corporate level, I'm not sure. I suspect it was done locally but perhaps with some pressure from above.

Hey Eric, with the rumors circulating about WRKZ-FM possibly switching to an all-talk format with the possible arrivals of Scott Paulsen and John McEntire, do you think it could adopt the so-called "Free FM" format CBS Radio has now? It's basically an all-talk format targeting 18-49 year old males that has general entertainment and not so much political stuff. Numerous stations, including WYSP-FM in Philadelphia and WFNY-FM in New York (the former WXRK-FM that WRKZ's current K-Rock format was modeled after) currently have the format. It should also be noted that Opie and Anthony is broadcasted on the Free FM stations, much like K-Rock, so the morning show would be the same. Also, according to the FCC's web site, the call signs WPGF are currently available (all other possibilities I could think of for "Pittsburgh Free FM" or "Free FM Pittsburgh" are currently taken), so it should be interesting to see what becomes of K-Rock. (January 3, 2007)

Eric's Response: Let's get one thing clear. There is no "possibility" of Scott Paulsen heading over there. It's a given, just not until April. John McIntyre is a possibility, but the lips are a little tighter regarding that move. Chances are that if such a thing is actually happening, it's going to become "Free-FM" but we won't know that until it happens. Just stay tuned.

Eric, I wonder if you can tell me where I could obtain a copy of poems that were on Paul Shannon's program? Mary Lou (January 1, 2007)

The "B94" radio sound returns to Pittsburgh as " B-80s" via the internet. Now in its 6th year, Pittsburgh's MetroCities Broadcasting Communications, owner of 5 internet radio stations in Pittsburgh. MetroCities dropped its country stations format " Country Rock" ( WRCKY ) on November 28th for a 24-hour Christmas music format " Retro Christmas Radio". On December 25th at 6PM MetroCities Broadcasting ended the " Retro Christmas Radio" format for an all-new 24 hour Retro 80's format , ( WBZZW) Retro 80s (B-80s- BUZZ Radio)" Plays Everything 80s ”. Dave Anthony President of MetroCities Broadcast Communications states that " The new Retro 80s (B-80s- BUZZ Radio) format is strictly an all 80s contemporary retro format aimed at meeting the needs of the listeners requesting an all 80s station, also to fill the music variety need In the Pittsburgh radio market that is missing. The goal is to continually meet the music entertainment standards and needs that listeners have come to expect when they listen to MetroCities stations. While other stations are increasing their commercial spot loads, adding larger breaks between songs and searching for a format niche. We will be playing music and more of it on all of our MetroCities stations. Like M-Cities stations (WRTRO) Retro 60's & 70's, (WKCMR)- The Power, ( WROCK) Retro 70's Rock & Classic Hits Radio, (WMCTS) M-Cities Live Wire News Radio, the new (WBZZW) Retro 80's (-80's-BUZZ Radio ) will be commercial free. B-80s will have announcers doing the station IDs and promos, and that will be all. The main programming emphasis will be on the formats music content and maintaining the maximum entertainment value to the listener." The new Retro 80's (B-80's- BUZZ Radio) can be heard on the net at http://www.wbzzw.com or at the MetroCities Broadcast Communications web site at http://www.metro-cities.com (January 1, 2007)

Eric, I could answer some of this, but it looks like one for your mailbag. Thanks, Clarke

Dear Clarke, I was curious about an early TV announcer/personality named George Eisenhower. I don't know much about him, except that he worked for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pa. in the 1950's (after Dumont), but I was also told that he was one of the first announcers ever hired in Pittsburgh TV in 1949 for WDTV. Since this falls under the Dumont era, I was wondering if you would be able to give me any info on him or lead me in a direction of who might know. Thanks! (January 1, 2007)

Eric's Response: I remember that we had a discussion going about Mr. Eisenhower some number of months back in the mailbag...perhaps a couple of years now.

Ref: Letters concerning Radio Shack's response to receiving HD Radio. The salesperson must have gone to the same school as the one I encountered at Best Buy in Morgantown. This person INSISTED that the ONLY way to receive HDTV was via cable; it was not possible to receive it off the air. Howard (January 1, 2007)

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