Big Country at 104.7
August 7, 2014
After a three-hour simulcast of the Rush Limbaugh program between WJAS (1320) and WPGB (104.7), WPGB flipped formats to “Big Country” with current country hits. Message boards and industry experts have been predicting this change for some time and one might suspect that this may have sped up the change at WJAS which occurred at Noon today. (We hear the last song played on the old format was Frank Sinatra’s “One For My Baby” which seems appropriate.) The new country format is expected to be commercial free for “10,000 songs”. The “FM News Talk” format began in January 2004.
Meanwhile, there were those who thought 104.7 would become an all sports FM station to compete with KDKA-FM (93.7) but Clear Channel’s plan is to keep their sports station on 970 AM as they work to move an FM translator at 106.3 from Uniontown to the tower at Calvary Cemetery.
FM 104.7 is a JINXED channel….how many format changes since the early 80s when I was in High School?…..and now, for the second time, the are going with what will be another FAILED country music format….A stupid move being made by one of the worst organizations in the industry……First,bagging Quinn and Rose and now this…..You can’t tell me that the sone of Mr. DASCHEL has nothing to do with this…..For shame, Cheap Channel….For Shame!……
I’ll agree that 104.7 has had many format changes since it was WYDD. But its run as a conservative talk outlet lasted 10 1/2 years which is the best run of any format since then. The ratings are down on the format (on FM) across the country and this was a typical business decision. Whether or not it’s a good one remains to be seen.
I agree….and why was 10.5 years with that format it’s best run????…because it worked…..because people listened……then Mr. Daschel’s son takes over….Quinn & Rose are bounced…….and now this…..I am sorry, it’s too coincidental…..Even my e-mails to Jim Quinn suggesting this were replied with “he had nothing to do with it”…..Sorry Jim, but I disagree……and now it’s format number 216 since 1981…..when I used to listed to the Block party weekends on Y-104…..a second (soon to be failed) country format….Remember the Rebel???…..I told my friends who listened to New Talk 104.7 ten years ago that that frequency is jinxed…..and that Quinn and Rose would regret associating themselves with it…….it’s a shame…..a bloody shame…..Pittsburgh radio is in decline and will never be the same….I am so glad I bought a Sirius XM radio and am not a slave to these moronic decisions…..
How do I put this? Yes, the format worked… for a while. The format has gone down in ratings all across the country. Mr. Quinn has been in the business long enough to know how it works. And I think you
canSHOULD rest assured that he’s telling the complete truth. Don’t forget that the frequency has had several owners since the WYDD days too. Some owners, like some formats, did better than others. It happens.It’s not only happening here, it’s everywhere.
WOW, up to the minute changes. Reminds me of the classic Abbott and Costello Baseball routine. Perhaps, however I doubt it very much, that another stick in the Pittsburgh market will pick up the Nostalgia Adult Standards format. After the dust settles, this may be a viable option. Oh by the way, two thumbs up to our website minder who continues to provide a wonderful service. Keep up the SUPER work Eric.
I thought 106.3 was out of Blairsville. I worked there in the early 90’s when Longo owned it.
I wonder how ANOTHER country station is going to do?
There’s a 106.3 in Cadiz, Ohio. I thought they were oldies, though.
I believe you are correct. I’ve picked that up in my travels before.
The Bear is back, country is big, but I see more of a country crossover in pop music now, and I blame Miley Cyrus for that.. 😉 Time will tell if we\’ll have another Garth Brooks at the top again, or if it will be all crossover.
Too bad if 106.3 comes in with sports, it will likely rub out The River from Ohio for those East of the city. Time for a petition from River listeners maybe?
Yes, I\’d think that minding the website was its own reward, but it\’s a good time to give coodos to the website keephound.
Boomer
I’m sure that someone will pick up the Nostalgia Adult Standards format. But would it be in Pittsburgh or the suburbs? Would it attract Bogut or Cardille back? I doubt it. I would like to have them back, but I think that they have been retired.
Let’s not count our chickens before they’ve hatched.
I lived outside Kittanning for over 10 years, and enjoyed WJAS. I still follow Pittsburgh radio and television. Thanks Eric! I am back in my home area in the New York Metropolitan area. We have NO standards station on AM or FM that I know of. I’m afraid that it is a vanishing format. However, there is satellite and internet radio, so the formats CAN be found. Just need to be more creative.
There’s a 106.3 out of Cadiz, Ohio…just outside of Weirton. They’re co-owned with WEIR.
I wish someone would take a chance on a Classic Country format instead of this good ol’ boy hick-hop auto-tune crap they pass off as “country” music today. I sincerely think people would tune-in if they actually had a choice (instead of three country stations playing essentially the exact same playlist). Hell, if Clear Channel wants to do country, they should bring back “The Rebel” from the early 90s. At least it played a different variety of country compared to Y108 and K-Bear (how’s that for a Blast from the Past)!!!
I agree with Big Jim\’s post. In order for this new country station to succeed is for them to do a different take on country than WDSY. I now live in a small town with two country stations. Both are able to succeed because they do different takes on country and cater to different audiences (older vs. younger). I didn\’t think it would work but in the 13 years the \”younger\” demographic station has taken to the air, they\’ve been able to grab an audience and stuck with it, yet the \”older\” station is still #1 in the ratings.
You figure this has to be cheap for them though. They will likely run the Premium Choice playlist in most or all of the dayparts. Bobby Bones will be mornings, the only live personality (if they even have one) would be PM drive. But in this day and age with CC\’s Premium Choice, even PM drive is usually tracked. And they can run the PC personalities at night and weekends. My guess is it will give the Froggys a run for their money.