Click for a new photo gallery page with photos from Ed Vance.
May 17 2013
We’re hearing that Washington, PA-licensed WKZV-AM (1110) is now off the air for good. Apparently the land on which the tower sits has been sold and the tower site is expected to come down soon. The station signed on in 1970 as WKEG and held a variety of formats and owners until 1991 when the station went off the air. In 1992, the station went back on the air as WKZV and was sold again in 1993 to the current ownership of “My-Key Broadcasting”. Mike Panjuscek (AKA “Polka Mike”) and Helen and Stanley Supinski were the key shareholders. Panjuscek died in 2011 and Mrs. Supinski continues to hold the reigns. The format has long been Classic Country and specialty programming (including “The Peddler Hour” on which PBRTV was featured in 2002).
May 15 2013
About a year ago, I said I wasn’t going to report on the ratings anymore. Arbitron announced that it would no longer publicly publish the numbers for stations who didn’t subscribe, and since that affects many stations within this market, it makes the monthly book appear inaccurate.
However, it’s been interesting to see how drastic the changes to each book have been over the last few months. For February, we celebrated the fact that KDKA-AM (1020) was at the top once again – a title it held almost exclusively for years under the old diary system. March saw WRRK (96.9 Braddock) hit the top for the first time ever.
Now WDVE (102.5) reclaims the top spot for April. WRRK has slipped to third and KDKA-AM is back to sixth. Meanwhile, WWSW (94.5), while ranking fifth in the ratings, rates number 1 in station cume.
Remember, that the unsubscribing stations could affect the ranks in the complete ratings… which we’ll never see. Meanwhile, here’s what you can see via AllAccess.
May 12 2013
What happened to Saturday talk show host, Dimitri Vassilaros. He left with no explanations, there are some others there, that leave me cold. One Called Eddie Crow. WHERE IS DIMITRI?
Eric’s response: I posted a week or so ago that KDKA hired a few hosts specifically for that time slot. One is John McIntire who most notably worked as the host of NightTalk on PCNC several years back. Ellen Gamble, who for years did traffic reports in the area. And Eddy Crow who has been on WDVE and WEAE most recently. They are filling the spot, as I understand it, on a rotating basis. It looks like Dimitri, meanwhile, is working on a project of his own which he has yet to announce via his Facebook page. I don’t want to hazard to guess what that is, and I’m not 100% sure that he’s officially departed KDKA.
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May 10 2013
All Access reported today that Richard M. Scaife is selling his 700 shares (about 70%) of Calvary Inc. to 22 MIN LLC. The new company is owned by Cheryl Scott and Robert Dickey, Jr. the heirs of the late Robert W. Dickey who died in 2011. The Senior Dickey owned the lesser part of Calvary Inc. The “22 MIN” name comes from the all-newser’s motto, “Give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world.”
May 08 2013
Flick returned to CBS Radio Pittsburgh several weeks ago and now word that he has a co-host for the afternoon drive slot. Kelly Langenohl has joined WBZZ (100.7 New Kensington/Pittsburgh) creating the “Flick and Kelly” afternoon show (2:00 – 7:00 p.m.). Langenohl, a native of Pittsburgh, comes home from WBHV-FM in State College where she was the morning co-host.
(PG)
May 04 2013
Several years ago, I was volunteering at an event where one of our local stations was doing a remote. (I was there on behalf of the organization, not the station.) It wasn’t long before someone – a benefactor for the organization and a friend of one of the station hosts present – approached me and asked me if I was, “Eric O’Brien, the guy who does ‘that PBRTV site’”. I assured him that I was and the gentleman proceeded to ask why I didn’t update the site every day. I responded confidently that if I did update the site every day, I would have to start making things up.
Well, that’s part of the reason I haven’t posted anything in a while. There hasn’t been much to post lately. But I’ve also been busy. After a hard drive crash (and we’re about to try the “freezer trick” to rescue files that never made it to a backup), I have been busy starting up with a new computer as well as the other work for which I use this machine. I have assured you and am reassuring you that my interest in PBRTV.com does not and has never waned. In fact, I am working on some new ideas although I’m not ready to discuss them at this time.
That said, there are a few things worth mentioning here.
Stay tuned for more information from PBRTV coming very soon… we’re sure of it!
Apr 25 2013
KDKA-AM (1020) has hired John McIntire, Eddy Crow and Ellen Gamble as hosts of various Saturday airshifts. They will also serve as fill-in hosts throughout the week. McIntire and Crow have already been on the air, the previous filling in for Marty Griffin last week. Gamble will do her first official shift this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. None of the hosts have a set schedule.
(PG)
Apr 18 2013
This video comes from YouTuber “FuzzyMemoriesTV” who was able to get his hands on 16mm kinescope from the collection of Len Johnson. The newscast was offered by WIIC-TV (11; now WPXI) at 6:30 p.m. on August 23, 1962. The newscast was just 10 minutes long. Johnson moved on to Chicago where during the remainder of the 1960s, 70s and early 80s he was heard over WGN-Radio and TV as a program host and Chicago Cubs broadcasts.
To see more information, click on the video above to watch it on YouTube. Then scroll down for more complete information.
Apr 18 2013
Seems that the ratings are bouncing around month-to-month again as the March PPM survey shows that WRRK came out on top for the first time in the station’s history. KDKA-AM, which had been first the last two months, dropped to fourth place. WDVE and WWSW fall between in second and third places respectively.
The numbers shown in this publicly-released survey do not represent all stations considered to be in the Pittsburgh market. That is due to a year-old Arbitron policy that only stations who subscribe to the company’s rating system may have their numbers released to the public. Actual results may vary.
Apr 11 2013
WAMO (660 AM Wilkinsburg; 100.1 FM Pittsburgh) has named Gary Gunter as General Manager of the station. Gunter comes to WAMO from Radio One in Baltimore where he served as the General Sales Manager of WWIN-AM/FM, WERQ-FM and WOLB-AM. Prior to that, he had worked as the director of Integrated Marketing for Clear Channel Chicago.
In a press release, Gunter says, “My main objective, in addition to increasing revenue, will be to improve upon the work that has already been done and to continue the legacy of WAMO being the urban voice in the city of Pittsburgh”.
Gunter takes over for Laura Varner Norman who served as GM since WAMO’s return to Pittsburgh nearly two years ago. Gary Gunter’s arrival had been rumored a few weeks ago when Norman’s departure was announced.
