A few notes… and an upcoming celebration…

New program on WESA

It’s not the first time this has happened, but it seems the trendy way to get yourself on the radio these days is to stat your own podcast and hope it gets heard. We’ve seen it happen locally when WLTJ (92.9) picked up Ya Jagoff Podcast for evenings. This sort of “Reverse Compatability” is likely what radio needs to slow shrinking listenership and remain relevant in modern technology.

Citing financial reasons, local pubcaster WESA (90.5) ended the in-house produced daily program called The Confluence. It seemed likely the station would have to resort to more network programming to fill empty spaces throughout the day. Enter Today, Explained which now airs on WESA weeknights at 7:30. There are two hosts for the program, described as “the news explainer” podcast from Vox Audio.

Noel King, an NPR alumnus who co-hosted Morning Edition and Up First, also serves as the editorial director. Sean Rameswaram is not only King’s co-host, but is the creator of the program but also the creative director for Vox Audio. Prior to Vox Audio, Rameswaram was a correspomdent for More Perfect at WNYC.

The program was designed to give further explanation and clarity to news stories of the day with a bit of personality and humor.

Death of a Beaver County Radio Alum

Jim Frederick who was a longtime sports announcer for WBVP (1230 Beaver Falls) and WMBA (1460 Ambridge) passed away this week at age 71. He started at WMBA as sports director in 1995 and held the role until after the two stations were under one roof. Prior to Beaver County Radio, Frederick was sports director for WHIZ-TV in Zanesville, Ohio from 1974-1989. He also served as Deputy Treasurer for the Beaver County Courthouse between 2002 and 2020.

Let’s Celebrate!

I have many reasons to celebrate this year. While I will save the more personal celebrations for later (if I indeed mention those here), I will tell you this website will turn 25 on October 21. As I think back on 25 years of bringing you news about the region’s stations and the people who make things happen on-air and/or behind the scenes, I think to myself about when I started the site I, myself, had not even reached the 25 year mark!

PBRTV.com has grown with me and while I still consider it a side-hobby, it’s one of the best things I have ever accomplished. (I use the term “accomplished” very loosely, because it is a constant work in progress.) A few of us are in the process of planning a virtual party (recorded ahead of time) for airing in podcast form on 10/21/23. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, if you have a PBRTV memory or a memory of something significant in the local business over the last quarter century, please email us: info@pbrtv.com. (PLEASE no messages or post comments on Facebook. Email only…)

Oh, by the way, this site isn’t going anywhere… and I have some plans festering in my mind about some new related projects which will further creep along in 2024. Again… stay tuned!