PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio/TV Mailbag
PBRTV - Pittsburgh Area Radio & TV
PBRTV Mailbag July 6-11, 2004
Hi Eric, I sent you a note last week about my feelings towards the new format. I had to chuckle tonight when you confirmed what I thought I heard earlier in the day on the new K-Rock. WRKZ. I lived most of my life in eastern PA in Lancaster Co. and the callsign WRKZ was used by a country FM station called "Z-107" since it was at 106.7. That station recently switched formats too. I don’t know if its an Infinity station or not, but found it amusing that after being away from Lancaster County I have to listen to the WRKZ callsign again and remember it won’t be another country song. BTW, what has 200 feet and 8 teeth? Front row of a Willy Nelson concert. Scott (July 11, 2004)
Eric's Response: HA! I love the joke!
I enjoyed reading the comments on your website. There was adequate warning that Stern will be taking over B94. A week or so before the announcement, the Trib Review wrote an article on the possible change. The article was posted on www.howardstern.com. B94 will have a place in most people's hearts who grew up in the eighties but they were in the past years slumping in the ratings (12th). They were obviously the one that was riped to 1. Bring Stern back. 2. Increase the ratings through format change. 3. possible to overtake DVE and score a 1,2,3 in the PGH market, and 4. hurt their main rival's top show.
It is sad that Pittsburgh is so "old" of a town that there is a high
possiblity that an Elton John song that was written and recorded 20 years ago will be played on several stations at the same time as the current top 40 songs are. (July 10, 2004)
HI What a sad loss now 93.7 has become just another American rock station, the gray people have taken over. Good job Kiss 96.1 still lives. Phil (July 10, 2004)
Hello, Eric. Cumulus for all intents and purposes gave up its option to buy WLSW. Its plan to move WLSW's tower to North Huntingdon Twp. would be precluded by the fact that Keymarket moved two of its FMs from Ohio to transmitters just over the Pennsylvania border, on FM 103.5 and FM 104.3. Essentially, two 50-kw Frogs trumped a 6-kw Music Power. Hope that helps ... Pat Cloonan. (July 9, 2004)
Does anyone know who will be the DJ's yet or rumors
going around at 93-7 K-Rock WRKZ? Thanks, Ryan Pittsburgh, PA (July 8, 2004
Hi, Eric. Whatever happen to the rumor that WLSW was going to be sold to Cumulus ? Did the owner Stan Wall change his mind or did Cumulus ? Is the transmitter going to stay atop the mountain above Connelsville or move to North Huntington ? Just curious. Tom B. (July 8, 2004)
The real reason that B94 as we knew it died is that traditional Top 40/CHR also died. It used to be that Top 40 was its own genre. There were a number of music acts that didn't fit into other genres such as rock (alternative/modern rock & classic/album rock) country, R&B, etc. Now Top 40 means primarily Hip-Hop, which is already its own genre. Take a look at Billboard's charts and you'll see that most of the songs in the Top 40 are indeed Hip-Hop. Once in a while you'll hear songs on the radio which can be considered part of the Top 40 genre - Sheryl Crow, Kylie Minogue, Nickelback, Matchbox 20, Maroon 5, Los Lonely Boys, etc. But these acts are getting fewer and farther between. So I can understand why B94 fell by the wayside. They tried to stay with the broader definition of Top 40 instead of changing formats to be more like WAMO. I would assume that 96.1 KISS and WAMO pretty much have the same playlist? What we once know of traditional Pop/Top 40 sort of lives on in the "Hot AC" format. But even then Hot AC tends to play a lot of older songs as well as currents. I assume that's what Star 100.7 is like. Dave in Fredericksburg, VA (former Pittsburgher) (July 8, 2004)
Dear Sir: When Merle Pollis was host of the morning talk show on WJAS in the early 1970’s, his traffic reporter was a lady named Linda Murray. I have not heard anything about Linda Murray since then, and was wondering if you know whatever happened to her and might be able to tell me what she is doing today. I grew up in Pittsburgh, but have been living in California since 1979. I discovered your web site just by doing a Google search. Rick Miller (July 7, 2004)
Eric's Response: Wow, there's a name I've never heard of. Anyone know?
My two cents....
B94 didn't accept the 2004 definition of top 40. hip hop. Hip Hop is hot. TO deny is to hold onto what isn't hot. I have been on a 10 year crusade to bring more hip hop here...It sells! Look at the southside and the strip district. Look at Reebok and McDonalds. Hip hop sells! Pittsburgh collectively has been about 5 years behind, but patience is a virtue.
961 kiss is top 40. MTV is playing what 96.1 kiss is playing. (Don't tell me MTV isn't top 40). I was hoping we could get what Austin and Providence now has. A Rhythmic CHR with the howard morning show. The only way to win is to be hipper and more heritage at the same time. I was in the studio at WXYV Baltimore in June of 1997 when 20 year urban (infinity) switched to Top 40 (dance pop) 102-7 XYV. It shocked me, but i saw how the station only reacted to the community it wanted to attract 'turn its back on it for its competitor.' 1997 was a period in urban radio where heritage stations were being chopped left and right in the same way the elderly might stand out like a sore thumb in a nightclub setting, and thus being singled out as possibly being weird. When your radio station is weird, you tend not to stick it out unless you have some financial or personal vested interest in it.
So if you want to hear the last moments of B94, just send me an email or go to my web page www.jjsolomon.net
I honestly didn't think anything until...well you listen to the tape and it sounded like the last hours of WXYV in Baltimore, complete with crying staff on the evening news. J.J. SOLOMON (July 7, 2004)
Eric's Response: MTV still plays music videos?
Hi,
My name is Todd. I'm 30 years old and am also sad that B94(a.k.a B937) changed formats. I grew up listening to B94 as a kid and listened to it through the sad day of June 30,2004. I know a lot of people like Howard Stern, but I would never change a radio station for one guy.
I have been a volunteer radio disc jockey in Pittsburgh for a small station that does not exist anymore and have never seen a format change decision happen that fast. There was roughly only a 17 hour warning of the change.
It's hard to believe that B94(a.k.a) B937 changed formats when they were still advertising contests, such as being a summer DJ on the air, and the winner would be a DJ for the summer and interview Jessica Simpson at her concert on Sat July 3rd. I bet the summer DJ finalists were very upset with the news. It was their one opportunity to show Pittsburgh what they are made of.
It turns out that KISS96.1FM sponsored the concert, and it just was not the same as if B 94 would have done it. I do not consider KISSFM 96.1 a true top 40 format. They play mostly R & B and rap. We need another true top 40 station in Pittsburgh.
I say to possibly change Star 100.7 to a top 40 format and occasionally throw some 80s in. I know a lot of you probably think Star 100.7 already does play top 40. They do, but not all genres of it.
There is no way that 4 rock stations will make it in Pittsburgh, even though they have different rock formats.
I see 105.9 the X staying, because it is the only true alternative Rock station. 102.5 WDVE will stay, because it is a legend in Pittsburgh and has a great rock n roll format. However, I thought WBZZ was also a legend.
Channel 97 WRRK is probably the one that will hurt out of this with their classic rock station because of DVE and KROCK playing classic rock as well.
The new K ROCK 93.7 The Rock of Pittsburgh seems to have all three of those radio stations blended into one. My prediction, K ROCK DVE and the X will last ,but Channel 97 will change to a true top 40 format. Just some food for thought.
I'd be interested to hear other ideas of what to do with the Pittsburgh radio market. Also who were your favorite Disc Jockeys on B-94 from 1981-2004.
Have a good evening,
Todd (July 6, 2004)
Hi, I was on vacation last week so I didn't get a chance to hear the end of the great B94. I listened every morning from 6:30-8am. My mornings will never be the same w/o the lovely and talented Shelley Duffy. How many years exactly was she with the B94 morning shows? Are her future plans yet known? Now that B94 is dead, I'd love nothing more than the Queen of Morning Pgh Radio to be reunited with John Cline (her former side-kick) on 100.7. If they throw in Dave, I think I could be somewhat content with the lose of my favorite station. I'm still in denial that I'll no longer be hearing Shelley reading the news at the top of each hour, listening to Bubba rap to our birthdays, hearing Giant Brian doing the Outskirts of Pgh and the Morning Buzz from Hollywood, and having fun with the new interns each semester. One thing I will NOT miss with B94 is the new rap format which is contaminating CHR/Pop stations around the country. At least we
know it is the terrible music that killed B94 and NOT the DJs. They were sharp until the very end.
How can I go about obtaining a copy of the final hours/moments of B94 on Wednesday, June 30, 2004? Can I purchase/hear it somehow? If not, are there ANY diehard fans out there that actually taped any or all of the final show and would be willing to share it with a trustworthy heartsick fellow fan? I'll reimburse for all postage and I'm even willing to prepay if you like. I will also return the tape(s) promptly. Please email me if you are willing and able. I was terribly sad to come back from such a nice vacation to find that my favorite radio station was gone. I've listened for over 20 years. My email: djkst35@pitt.edu PBRTV, please keep us posted on any developments in regards to the former B94 DJs. I'll be checking this site everyday.
Dave (July 6, 2004)
Eric's Response: I bet there are very few people who caught the change on tape. The change came rather abruptly...and everyone who heard there was an "announcement" probably thought it might have to do with a concert or some such thing. With the exception of the rumors that were going around before the change was made, there really was no warning whatsoever.
Yaaaaaaay! I was listening to Star 100.7 during my lunch break this afternoon and Melanie Taylor, former afternoon DJ on B/93.7, was filling in for Kerri Griffith. It was nice to hear her pleasant voice once again. Now, I would be very happy if Infinity would reformat the Star Morning Show to be "John-Dave-Shelley" at the very least. Nothing against JR and Kate... I'm sure they are wonderful. In fact, I think they'd be perfect for the new K-Rock station. I enjoyed both of them when they were part of the Classic Rock format of The Point, 100.7. Reuniting Dave and Shelley with John Cline in the mornings would help me get over the blues of losing my B-94. Any chance of this happening?
Missing Shelley terribly, Dave (July 6, 2004)
Hello,
I'm interested in contacting former fellow employees of WPGH-TV when it was operated by US Communications Corporation in 1971. Please email me at scsunnybeach@hotmail.com. Bob Kristof (July 6, 2004)
I'm 21 years old and all I have ever know for good up to date songs and morning laughs is B94. This switch to classic rock is ridiculous. There are a ton of people age 12-25 or older that really like the new music that comes out. If you want to listen to classic rock, go to 102.5 and listen to the good stuff. What are we supposed to do when Kiss 96.1 plays the same song 10 times in 5 hours, we don't really have anywhere else to turn the radio to for something new. B94 covered all genres of the music that was coming out and new, KISS 96.1 plays mostly R&B and rap. 100.7 plays 80s which is good for a change but gets old fast when you want something new. Also, I enjoyed the B94 morning show on my morning drive into work. Howard Stern is rude and has absolutely no decency. Thats not what you want hear on the way to work, you want to laugh and have upbeat songs to listen to in the morning and not have to be disgusted before you arrive at work. Really, this is a shame for the radio. I don't really see the need to cut the station, moreover, how can ratings be down when all you hear on the radios of local restraunts and in other peoples cars is B94. If the ratings are down, then why not simply just adjust your program to fit the wishes of the listeners and not have this problem.
Its really a complete load of (BLEEP) that they wouldn't even tell the listening audience ahead of time so they new it was coming. Then we wouldn't turn on the radio expecting to hear our favorite programs and songs and get the exact oppisite. Ashley (July 6, 2004)
Eric's Response: It's not about the listeners to be perfectly honest. It's about the advertisers and the money coming in. If the ratings are down, so is the price of advertising. If the ratings are up, so is the price of advertising. If the ratings keep going down...well you get the picture. Essentially if downward trends keep happening...no matter how many listeners...it becomes a matter of bottom line.
As for no warning. Sometimes station management has no warning. In this case they did, but I honestly only remember ONE time when a station somewhat warned its listeners about a change. That was in 1991 when WEZE (easy listening) 104.7 became WORD-FM (religious) and WEZE promoted Lite-FM (WLTJ) as an alternative...
Lived in Pittsburgh most of my life.. worked most of my broadcast career there too. Had a chance to listen to the new K-rock while up visiting family over the 4th and I really enjoyed what they're doing. First time I ever spent that much time listening to 93.7 since it was WJOI. Keep up the good work Infinity... you just may have something there. By the way to the poster who said that Clinton and the FCC changed the law with the telecom act better do a little more homework. Clinton signed off the 1996 Telecom act, which had a lot more in it than just broadcast ownership matters. Other telecommunications (read phone company etc) measures were included in it as well. It was the GOP congress, especially one Conrad Burns, a Republican Senator from Montana who played a major part of Telecom 96. Clinton, Gore and other top Democrats now point to the broadcast ownership deregulation aspect as being a "big mistake". Oh well can't force the genie back into the bottle. And the FCC only enforces laws not makes them. Congress is charged with that. (July 6, 2004)
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