Maybe it's much too early in the game...
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: The big move to FM was still a decade away on New Year's Eve 1967 in Pittsburgh.
That's why Mount Washington-based beautiful music station WKJF-FM (93.7) was practically begging Pittsburghers to try the other band on their radios.
Frankly, any Pittsburghers who did scan the FM band tonight were asleep before 1968 arrived. Besides 'KJF's somnolent blend of elevator music, its competition on FM this evening included a "report on the importance to society of recent chemical research" at 10:30 p.m. on Braddock's WLOA-FM (96.9), "Music of Rodrigo's Fantasia" on WTAE-FM (96.1), and a concert by the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra on WJAS-FM (99.7) at 11:15 p.m.
I'm getting drowsy just writing about it!
. . .
Chances are, most Pittsburghers listening to radio were locked to the AM (or "standard broadcast") band, where Chuck Brinkman and Johnny Mitchell were counting down the "Happening Hit Parade" of 1967 on the city's main pop music station, KQV (1410).
KQV's top song of 1967 was "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees, who also were named "Best Group" of the year by Groovy 'QV's "fun-lovin' five."
This also was the last night that KQV listeners heard ABC News over the ABC owned-and-operated station. No, ABC wasn't selling KQV, but beginning on Jan. 1, 1968, ABC Radio would split into four different services --- Contemporary, Entertainment, Information and FM.
On 'QV, ABC's old "live news at :55" gave way to reports from the American Contemporary Network.
NBC owned-and-operated WJAS (1320) featured an "All Star Parade" of big band music, with live reports from Ben Grauer in New York City's Times Square, beginning at 11 p.m.
WWSW (970) was spinning records by "the top vocalists and bands of yesterday," starting right after the 8 p.m. news. "Double-Double" billed the music program as its "New Year's Eve Dancing Party." (more)
Captain Dan Leaves WJET Radio for WYNE 1530
Erie-Meadville: A few weeks ago, Bill Shannon told me to listen for an big announcement on WYNE 1530 regarding something to look forward to in the new year. Boy, he wasn't kidding. Erie Media Blog reports that "Captain Dan" Geary has left Connoisseur Media for both a sales and morning on air position at Mercyhurst North East station WYNE. Dan was previously hosting a talk show with Jim LeCorchick called "Erie Talk in the Morning" on WJET 1400. Update - There was no non-compete clause in the contract, in fact there was no contract period since it was never renewed according to Jack Tirak at his Erie Media Blog. They just agreed on salary & the deal with WYNE was in the works for a few months.Radio's top 10
Pittsburgh:Check out Adrian McCoy's top 10 radio events (locally and nationally) of 2007 in the Post-Gazette. What more can I say?
Give us some feedback - tell us in your opinion what was best and worst in Pittsburgh radio and TV for 2007. We'll take your emails - PBRTV at AOL dot COM. And on 1/1 we'll share them with the world!
Kopler retires tomorrow
Pittsburgh:
Bob Kopler, who has spent the last 19 years as KDKA newsman, will retire following the morning program tomorrow 12/28. His final newscast will be at 9:00 AM with the entire 8:00 hour being devoted to him complete with surprise guests. Kopler has been in Pittsburgh radio for many years and has served other stations including KQV and WTAE-AM.
Merry Christmas!
Pittsburgh: On behalf of Tom Lavery & Jason Togyer, I extend to you best wishes for the Merriest Christmas!Just the Fatimas, ma'am
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: Fifty-four years ago today, NBC's "Dragnet" became the first regularly-scheduled TV series to have a regular, nationwide sponsor when Fatima Cigarettes signed on.Tonight's Christmas-themed episode, "The Big Little Jesus," followed fictional Los Angeles police officers Sgt. Joe Friday and Detective Frank Smith as they searched for a statue of the baby Jesus that had been stolen from a church manger scene.
Unfortunately, local residents would have to stay up until 11:30 p.m. to see it. According to local newspaper listings, both Pittsburgh's WDTV (3) and Johnstown's WJAC-TV (then on channel 13) preempted the 9 p.m. network feed to carry other shows.
(Since both WDTV and WJAC were the only VHF TV outlets in their respective markets, they filled their schedules with a mix of programs from DuMont, NBC and CBS. It was another year before Wheeling and Steubenville got their NBC television affiliate, WTRF-TV.)
Fatima (pronounced "Fah-tee-mah") had been sponsoring the radio version of the Jack Webb drama almost from its inception in 1949. (The TV version of "Dragnet" had begun airing Dec. 16, 1951.)
But Fatima's decision to underwrite the video version, too, was a clear sign that the audience (and advertisers' dollars) was shifting decisively to television. (more)
Fox 66 puts HD on it's Digital Signal
Erie-Meadville: Erie TV viewers (including HDTV Advocate & friend Jack Tirak over at the "Erie Media" blog) who have been waiting to watch something over the air in HD besides WQLN now have their wish. Over the weekend, WFXP (Fox 66) began to carry HD programming from Fox. The first program was the NFL matchup between the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. Later in the evening, they also carried the movie "Spider Man 2" in High Definition. The station will carry all programs from the Fox Network in HD and just in time for the BCS Championship, NFC Playoffs, Super Bowl 42 and the 50th running of the Daytona 500. While the digital signal for Fox 66 is currently low, it can be picked up in some outlying areas and the station will go full power in 2008.Cater moves on
Pittsburgh:Former KDKA-TV/WPCW-TV morning anchorman John Cater left the station earlier this month - originally bound for Chicago. However we've learned that Cater is working a freelance job in Atlanta. The Post-Gazette recently pointed out that Rosie O'Donnell met Cater at a hotel both were staying in and the two are seen in a Rosie blog preparing to do an interview.
In the video Mr. Cater announces that he's on his 4th day on the job at WSB-TV 2 (ABC) in Atlanta. WSB is the flagship station for Cox Enterprises - the same company which owns Pittsburgh's WPXI-TV.
WQED: Things are looking good!
Pittsburgh:Rob Owen regularly attends the public meetings at WQED Multimedia - and is one of few TV critics to do so apparently. However, look at what's on tap at the Public outlet for 2008.
- A weekly segment on "ON-Q" looking back upon 250 years of Pittsburgh's history.
- A new Sebak production about Inventions in Pittsburgh set to debut in March.
- "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" will celebrate 40 years on PBS.
- WQED-FM will extend local programming content by 2 hours until 10:00 PM in the New Year.
Sounds like good things are happening at WQED. Rob has the complete list of events in the Post-Gazette.
Mouse roars at Madden?
Pittsburgh: WEAE (1250) talk host Mark Madden has been ordered to clean up his act, or face dismissal, according to Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette.
The station's owner --- The Walt Disney Co., parent of ESPN --- is supposedly warning that the off-color, innuendo-laden rants that are a Madden trademark have no place on a "family-friendly outlet."
Smizik claims that Madden's board operator has been instructed to "dump" any raunchy remarks made not just by callers, but by the host as well.
Citing unnamed sources, Smizik claims that Madden has privately told friends he was worried about being fired.
But he also quotes WEAE program director Jim Gracie as offering unqualified support: "Mark has been part of our radio station in the past and he will be part of it in the future. We plan to have him on in 2008 as great as he ever has been."
Madden is not quoted in Smizik's story; the longtime P-G and Pittsburgh Press sportswriter is a regular target of Madden's on-air vitriol.
In a related story, Madden is now writing for Go! magazine, the free monthly entertainment newspaper produced by the Beaver County Times. The first edition of his new column "Mad, Madder, Madden" appeared in the December issue.
Madden also writes a weekly column for ESPN's website. Madden previously wrote for the Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh City Paper.
FCC changes ownership rules
National News: At first glance, new ownership rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission wouldn't seem to make much immediate impact on Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Youngstown or surrounding markets.
The biggest change would allow TV and radio stations and newspapers in the top 20 Nielsen-rated markets to be owned by the same companies. Newspapers are currently prohibited from owning radio and TV stations, except under "grandfathered" arrangements made before the current rules, or when special waivers are granted.
There's always a possibility --- however slim --- that one of Pittsburgh's newspapers could buy one of its TV stations, or vice-versa. But such a deal would require a waiver because Pittsburgh is no longer a top 20 media market. (It's Nielsen market No. 22.)
Of course, several Pittsburgh area newspapers do have broadcasting ties --- the Post-Gazette is owned by Block Communications, which owns cable TV systems in Ohio and Michigan, along with TV stations in Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois, while Tribune-Review Publisher Richard M. Scaife owns 51 percent of Pittsburgh's KQV (1410).
And Calkins Media --- parent company of the Beaver County Times and the Uniontown Herald-Standard --- owns TV stations in Alabama and Florida.
In addition, Pittsburgh's WPXI-TV (11), Johnstown's WJAC-TV (6) and Steubenville's WTOV-TV (9) are all owned by Cox Enterprises, which controls the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other major newspapers. And WTAE-TV (4) is owned by Hearst-Argyle Television, which is controlled by newspaper and magazine conglomerate Hearst Corp. (more)
Don't Let TV Manufacturers Fool You
Erie-Meadville: (I will keep the names of both the retailer & the television manufacturer out of this article in order to protect the innocent.) On a recent shopping trip in the region, I happened to be near the electronics section of a certain department store. I just happened to overhear a conversation a gentleman was having on the phone with a famous television manufacturer. (Apparently, someone at the store dialed the number for him.) He was looking for a television with a built in digital tuner as he wanted to be ready for the transistion to digital in 2009. He was told by the call service that the TV he wanted DID have both a digital and analog tuner built in. I couldn't help but look at the box & find out the manufacturer was actually lying to the gentleman when I found the warning label on the box stating that "you will need a digital conversion box for this television." It only had an analog tuner built in, which is no good after 2009 unless you are using it for regular cable. I print this as a warning to be careful & make sure the new TV you want has a digital tuner built in, whether it's SDTV, EDTV or HDTV. It usually says on front of the TV which type of digital tuner it has. If there is a warning label on the TV stating that it only has an analog tuner, ask questions & look for the digital info on the TV or the box it comes in. Don't be blind, do your homework before making a purchase. If I hadn't stepped in, it would have cost a consumer $180.00 because of a manufacturer giving him misleading information. You can go to www.fcc.gov for more information on what to look for in a digital TV.Hoerth fans now have a place to write "Uncle Dougie"
Pittsburgh:If you are a forlorn Doug Hoerth fan, here’s some hope! We received this email today at PBRTV.
As most of you know, my good friend and colleague Doug "Uncle Dougie" Hoerth is moving beyond his work at a select radio station in Pittsburgh. Nooooo, he's not become "a retired investor living on a pension", and he's not been dying of the same heart attack for 30 years...although living in Pittsburgh can at times be the symbolic equivalent. Doug is well, under the circumstances (a far cry from being under the train), and I myself have been in touch with him...and he's asked me to stop touching him. I can't get into details, but "I do remember, he was laughing". All joking aside, fans of Doug and his show who wish to send regards via email may do so by sending to me, Laurence Gaines, at lpgainesjr@yahoo.com. I will then forward the emails to Doug. I know that he appreciates his fans, and their expressions of concern, regret...and unprecedented fear. I would never aim to speak for Doug, but I do believe he'd say to you, were he here: "I love you with all-a my heart, if I don't see-a you again soon, I'm-a gonna die." --Laurence Gaines, Doug's former producer, baker, and deputy sheriff.
UPDATE, Feb. 8, 2008: Hi, folks. Please read the message again. You have to send your emails to Laurence at lpgainesjr@yahoo.com. PBRTV is not affiliated with any radio station, or with Doug Hoerth. Thanks for understanding. Comments on this entry are now closed.Well - not quite our territory, but...
National News: It could be a sucky period of time for engineers in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area today. Early Sunday morning, an ice build up caused the 823-foot tower of WNEP (TV 16) to collapse from the heavy weight. As it fell, a guy wire took out a portion of the next tower which belongs to WVIA-TV and FM. Both towers are on Penobscot Mountain. To make matters worse, the WNEP tower fell on the transmitter building taking out much of the equipment - including BOTH of the analog transmitters. According to Scott Fybush, a number of other area stations were affected. The complete list and some photos of the damage are at his site.DirecTV: Losing subscriptions from Steeler fans?
Musings From Eric: Last night I received an email from my nearly lifelong friend, Joe.Eric,
As one of the more powerful bloggers on the subject (don't let your head grow), I must express my extreme dissatisfaction with DirecTV this Steeler Sunday. At the end of the third quarter, the local channels were lost, including KDKA, to the horror of all steeler fans. two hours later, I got to watch the post game on KDKA, but the NFL game on Fox still wasn't working.
As a DirecTV customer, I want to kill someone.
As a human being, however, I still want to dump DirecTV.
Joe
Well Joe, many feel your pain undoubtedly. Obviously this isn't like a few weeks back when WPGH lost the audio signal during the game.
For what it's worth, we here at the PBRTV World Headquarters (located not far from Joe) noticed that our DirecTV local channels were a little screwy over the weekend. Instead of showing the program which was airing on the TV Guide, it showed "To Be Announced" or something like "Upcoming: Jeopardy" throughout much of the weekend.
Perhaps DirecTV needs to learn more about Pittsburgh and Steeler games. Then again, they could have been saving you from watching the agony of defeat!
Happy Hanna-Barbera Day (observed)
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: Rarely does "MMNF" get a ready-made feature, but we've got one this week, thanks to Los Angeles-based comedy writer and comics-animation historian Mark Evanier.
On Saturday, over at his daily journal News From Me, Evanier noted the 50th anniversary of the debut of "Ruff and Reddy," the first cartoon produced for television by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera.
Of course, it wasn't Hanna and Barbera's first cartoon --- not by a long shot. The pair had worked together since 1938.
It also wasn't the first cartoon produced exclusively for television --- that honor goes to Jay Ward's TV series "Crusader Rabbit," which debuted in 1948. (Ward is better remembered for his later creation of "Rocky & Bullwinkle" and spin-offs like "Dudley Do-Right.")
But "Ruff and Reddy" was the series that proved that TV cartoons could be profitable, and it opened the door for dozens of popular Hanna-Barbera shows (some good, some pretty bad), including "Top Cat," "Quick Draw McGraw," "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons" and "The Smurfs," right through to "Dexter's Laboratory" and "The Powerpuff Girls" in the 1990s. (more)
Cope hospitalized...
Pittsburgh: PBRTV has heard reports on both WPXI and WTAE tonight that legendary sports announcer, color commentator and all-around good guy Myron Cope is in Intensive Care with another bout of pneumonia. Cope has suffered from the disease a few times in the last couple of years. More as we hear it...Are you ready for some football?
Pittsburgh: Finally, someone found a use for Alex Langer's WPYT (660), the former AM daytimer that moved from Portage to Pittsburgh in 2004 and which has been "forgotten but not gone" ever since.
WPYT (suggested motto: "Testing, testing, 1-2-3, is anyone out there?") will carry MSA Sports Network's coverage of today's Class A state football championship between McKeesport's Serra Catholic High School and Steelton-Highspire High School from the Harrisburg area.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. with a pre-game show at 12:45 p.m. If you're not within range of WPYT's 1,400-watt blowtorch, which shares a tower along Ardmore Boulevard with another suburban AM also-ran (Braddock-licensed WLFP), you can listen online.
MSA Sports Network gets its name from its owner and principal sponsor, the Pittsburgh-based information technology company Management Science Associates.
MSA's coverage of the Class AAA championship between Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills Borough and Garnet Valley High School, west of Philadelphia (both teams are called the Jaguars!), will be carried by a station with a decidedly higher profile than WPYT, Washington's WJPA-FM (95.3). 'JPA should be easily heard throughout the West Jefferson Hills School District in Pittsburgh's South Hills.
On Saturday, the hotly awaited Class AA contest between Jeannette High and Dunmore High (near Scranton) will be carried at 12 p.m. over Greensburg's "Sam FM" WGSM-FM (107.1).
The Quad-A game between Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Parkland High (near Allentown) will be heard on "Fox Sports" WBGG (970). Kickoff is 5 p.m., and the pre-game starts at 4:50 p.m.
All of those games are being carried live from Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa., and can be heard online at MSA Sports Network's website. The fast-growing network now links broadcasts of high school and small college athletics from more than two dozen Western Pennsylvania radio stations.
Many of those stations even have actual listeners, unlike WPYT.
I'm sorry to be so sarcastic about WPYT, but if anyone can explain to me how the FCC served the "public interest, convenience, and necessity" by allowing a Cambria County radio station to move to "Wilkinsburg" and run 24 hours daily of paid programming, I'm open to listen.
Trivia Note: Dunmore High (Jeannette's challenger) was mentioned earlier this year on an episode of NBC-TV's Scranton-based sitcom "The Office."
In the episode, Dunmore High's prom invitations had been printed on paper supplied by the show's fictional Dunder-Mifflin Paper Co. The paper had to be recalled because of an obscene watermark, necessitating a visit to the school, where one of the characters (played by Ed Helms) learned he was inadvertently dating a girl who was a student there.
. . .
Correction: This item originally stated that WPYT had 88 watts' nighttime power. That was based on an incorrect entry at Radio-Locator.com. Several readers have pointed out that WPYT had nighttime authorization when it was operating on 1470 as WCIX and WFJY, but not any longer.
FCC license data shows that WPYT is currently licensed only for daytime operation on its present frequency, which it shares with WFAN, New York.
TWC Channel Line Up Update
Erie-Meadville:As expected, there were a few channel changes on Time Warner Cable Systems in Erie county. Local channels look like this: WBEP 3, WJET 4, WSEE 5, WFXP 6, WQLN 7, Image Sports / NOAA Weather 13 and finally, WICU is now on (get this) Channel 12. The channel locations will be uniform for TWC customers in Erie county. Final Update - WUAB (My Network TV) was listed here as being on channel 11, however that is where TBS now resides. Meanwhile, WUAB is now on channel 14. For more details, go to www.twclineup.com for channel lineups in your area.
Cannon dealing with health problems
Pittsburgh:KDKA-TV anchorman Don Cannon has been off from his duties as weekend anchor due to unidentified health problems according to the Post-Gazette. The 67-year-old Cannon told the paper a few weeks ago that he'd been having health problems and had expected to be back on the air by last weekend. Instead, he was hospitalized.
Back in July, Cannon seemed to have problems reading the teleprompter on the air and appeared flustered. He hasn't done a newscast since, but did return to the station in September as a reporter. Neither Cannon's family or KDKA management would comment on the anchor's condition.
Murrysville native joins 1020 team
Pittsburgh: A Westmoreland County native has been tapped to take over the lead news anchor position on KDKA (1020) when Bob Kopler retires.
Bill Rehkopf (right), currently morning news anchor and news director at WPOC-FM (93.1) in Baltimore, starts at KDKA in January.
The appointment was announced this morning by Marshall Adams, KDKA program director.
Kopler, a 19-year veteran of KDKA, is retiring effective Dec. 28. His 41 years in Pittsburgh broadcasting have included stints at KQV (1410), WWSW-AM/FM, and the former WTAE (1250), along with work at KDKA-TV (2).
Adams called Kopler a "legend in this market" who "cannot be replaced."
"Bill has a deep appreciation and understanding for the power and responsibility of delivering morning news on KDKA," Adams said in a press release. "Having grown up in Murrysville, he knows what our audience has come to expect."
Rehkopf has been at WPOC, a country music station owned by Clear Channel, since 1999. A graduate of Franklin Regional High School, Rehkopf attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania and filed freelance reports for KDKA during his college years.
In addition to stints at WARM in Scranton and WHP in Harrisburg, Rehkopf has also worked for several stations in northwestern Pennsylvania, including WWCH (1300) and WCCR-FM (92.7) in Clarion, WECZ (1540) and WPXZ-FM (104.1) in Punxsutawney, and WMKX-FM (105.5).
"When I was young, I'd listen to the likes of Uncle Ed [Schaughency] and Bill Steinbach and always dreamed I would one day work here," Rehkopf said. "I'm very mindful of the history that goes before me, and it's a privilege to join those who call KDKA 'home.'"
Rehkopf and his wife, Carol, have four children. He has also served as a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical technician and spokesman for the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department in Carroll County, Md.
Almost no music for older listeners on the dial in Erie
Erie-Meadville: A sad trend has occured on the Erie airwaves in 2007. You can call Erie one of the markets that has decided to simply forget that there is a demographic over age 45.In the span of a few months beginning in January, Erie lost it's FM Oldies station, a "Music of Your Life" AM station and an AM Oldies station that replaced the FM Oldies station for a short time.
All of a sudden, listeners who were used to having their music on local radio were told that they were simply not important to corporate station owners any longer. They had to search the dial for out of town alternatives like "Oldies 1150" or "AM 740" from Canada.
And yes, Bill Shannon @ Mercyhurst North East has put Oldies on WYNE 1530. While it's a daytime only station, I give him a hell of a lot of credit for putting the format back on with some rare gems you probably would not hear on the former "Froggy 94.7." Erie still hasn't even tested the waters in the HD Radio world or they could find an alternative location for either an Oldies or MOYL station on an HD-2 stream.
If your parents are frustrated with the lack of older music on the local airwaves as I am, it might be a good idea to introduce them to Satellite Radio & buy them a subscription.
Not again...
Musings From Eric: WTAE goofed again!Boy, talk about another missed opportunity. Two years ago it was Jerry Martz, now Don Schwenneker.
I've been an avid WTAE viewer on and off for most of my life. (Leave out a block of years when I watched David & Peggy on a regular basis.) I have often stated that Don Cannon and Paul Long were just like family at our dinner table when I was little - and of course "Mr. Science" the meteorologist and his school visits were something we looked forward to each week.
Some number of years ago, the station hired Stephen Cropper to work along side DeNardo. Not long after, Schwenneker came in from WTAJ in Altoona and Jerry Martz, an area native, arrived too. Any one of those three gentleman could have been perfect for the position as "Chief". And almost all of them had that seat at one time or another. In 2002, many were surprised when Schwenneker became the "second in command" under DeNardo moving Cropper to the weekend chair. Martz held down the early morning weather reports suiting his schedule to be able to teach a course at Penn State New Kensington.
In 2005, the roles reversed again - three ways. Cropper got the top spot following DeNardo's retirement, Schwenneker got the noon news and a single spot in the 5 PM newscast and Martz got shoved into the weekends. Seeing the writing on the wall, Martz took a new position at a station in Ohio - a place where he could eventually move up into the top spot. Meanwhile, Dimitrius Ivory had been hired to take over the early morning weather, and in 2006 Erin Kienzle took over the weekends.
Don't get me wrong, I like 4's weather team. Sure, some I like better than others, but all in all the entire team cannot be beat. However, if you were to ask me, not one but TWO opportunities have been missed to retain some excellent weather forecasters at the station. I'm sure Chicago will enjoy Schwenneker's friendly persona - and I hope WBBM will let him have a recipe blog!
WTAE News Director Bob Longo told the Post-Gazette that he intends to hire another meteorologist. I certainly hope he/she will be able to take some of the weekend pressure off of Kienzle so that either one will be able to fill-in during the week.
Schwenneker to Chi-town
Pittsburgh: WTAE-TV (4) meteorologist Don Schwenneker is leaving to accept a job at Chicago's CBS affiliate, WBBM-TV. His last day is Dec. 31, reports Rob Owen in the Post-Gazette.
A native of West Des Moines, Iowa, Schwenneker joined WTAE after several years at WTAJ-TV (10) in Altoona.
He says he decided to take the 'BBM job to get back to the Midwest and his relatives. Schwenneker and his wife, Kim, have three children: sons Michael and Mason and daughter Madison.
"My wife and I love Pittsburgh and the truth is, I thought I'd stay here the rest of my career," Schwenneker tells Owen. "The only reason to leave our life here is to get closer to family. It's hard raising two kids so far away and having their grandparents say, 'Oh, they're growing up in pictures.'"
His most embarrassing moment, according to the WTAE-TV website, was "going on the air with his zipper down."
Yeah, that'll do it.
Take 'TAE and see
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: When PBRTV Editor-in-Chief Eric O'Brien noted two weeks ago that 10 years had passed since the demise of WTAE (1250), I began searching my musty archives for a suitable aircheck.Little did I know that one of the voices on that aircheck would himself be in the news last week.
Before we hear the clip, let's look back at the history of the 1250 spot on your dial.
. . .
As the 75th anniversary of WTAE's founding, 1997 should have been a year of celebration. It turned out to be an Annus horribilis as WTAE became one of the city's first, and most prominent, victims of deregulation and consolidation in the radio business.
When the year began, WTAE was a stable part of the Hearst Newspapers empire, which had owned the station since 1931; it was solidly lodged among the market's top 10 stations and home to some of Pittsburgh broadcasting's best-known personalities, including Larry O'Brien, John Garry, Myron Cope, Lynn Cullen, Doug Hoerth and Phil Musick, along with an award-winning news team that included Dennis Atkinson and Alan Boal.
By the end of the year, almost everyone except Cope and Hoerth were gone and even the call-letters had changed, to WEAE, as the station adopted an all-sports talk format on its way to becoming a full ESPN affiliate.
. . .
First, some background. Founded by Pittsburgh's Kaufmann & Baer Department Store (which was purchased by Gimbels in 1925), WCAE was one of the city's first five radio stations (along with KDKA, KQV, WJAS and WWSW). (more)
WDUQ's Doherty passes
Pittsburgh: Family, friends and colleagues of Sean Doherty are mourning the loss of the longtime WDUQ-FM (90.5) sports director. Doherty died yesterday at 47. His death was announced on the station's website.
Doherty was the main sports reporter for the station based at Duquesne University and broadcast high school football and basketball games. He had also served as an announcer on Duquesne's basketball games. Viewers in the South Hills could also watch his talk show, "In The Bleachers," on the former Adelphia Cable system.
Doherty continued his career despite being a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair. He had sustained a spinal cord injury playing football in high school.
PBRTV expresses its deepest sympathies to the Doherty family and WDUQ personnel.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Sunday.
Hoerth out at 'PTT
Pittsburgh: Doug Hoerth's theme song --- Groucho Marx's "Hello, I Must Be Going" --- has never been more appropriate.
Hoerth is no longer affiliated with WPTT (1360), Alan Serena, vice president of operations at Renda Broadcasting, told PBRTV this morning.
Hoerth's Sunday night oldies show on sister station WJAS (1320) has come to an end as well. Another Renda source tells PBRTV that Hoerth's last day was Monday, while the Post-Gazette's Adrian McCoy says "Uncle Dougie's" contract was not renewed.
Listeners noted Hoerth's absence earlier this week --- the station has been running "The Best of Hoerth" in his usual 3 to 6 p.m. time slot --- and that his podcasts had disappeared from iTunes.
According to McCoy, Mike Gallagher's syndicated Salem talk show will fill Hoerth's former slot.
The cancellation leaves Lynn Cullen not only as the self-professed "Lone Liberal" on WPTT, but also the only live, local host heard during weekdays on the McKeesport-licensed talker. Hampered by a weak nighttime signal, WPTT doesn't have a local morning or afternoon drive show, and has struggled in the ratings as the market's third talk station, far behind KDKA (1020) and WPGB-FM (104.7).
Hoerth, the subject of a lengthy PBRTV profile in 2000, marked his 27th year in Pittsburgh broadcasting earlier this month. He moved to WPTT nine years ago after stints doing overnights at KDKA (1020) and shows at KQV (1410) and the former WTKN (970). Cullen and Hoerth were mainstays of the former WTAE (1250), along with Myron Cope and former Press columnist Phil Musick.
Attempts to reach Hoerth this week have not been successful.
Things get ugly in Youngstown
Youngstown:Just after signing off the WKBN news last night (12/6), Veteran reporter Joe Bell was told to pack up his personal belongings and go home.
Meanwhile, over at WYTV, anchor Vince Bevacqua was more concerned about the police report he had filed regarding the angry taunts on The Youngstown Vindicator's message boards which blamed Bevacqua for causing other 'YTV employees to lose their jobs.
Today is the day that Bevacqua, co-anchor Gina Marinelli and 25 other employees of WYTV will be escorted to the front door. 35 others were shipped off last week. Word has it that armed guards would be in place to make sure the exit happens without a hitch.
Meanwhile, there will be no local news on Channel 33 this weekend as the move is made down the road to WKBN. The sales department will be the only part of the station not moving.
Again, PBRTV Hat Tip to Andrea Wood at the Youngstown Business Journal. Story appeared online to subscribers only.
WQLN informs viewers about Digital TV
Erie-Meadville: It was 6 years ago yesterday (12/4/07) when Erie had it's first DTV station sign on. It was WQLN (DT 50 which remaps as 54-1). WQLN introduced digital television to the Erie region and is the second most powerful digital station next to WSEE. There wasn't much publicity regarding the new station, but the word is getting out as we approach the analog TV shutdown date of February 17, 2009. The station is offering a free brochure you can order through www.wqln.org. It will explain what OTA viewers of WQLN will need in order to keep watching the station with their current TV sets if they may not be interested in having an HDTV set or cannot afford one. I'm certainly glad that WQLN and WSEE are getting the word out regarding the future of TV.Where's Uncle Dougie?
Pittsburgh:An alert PBRTV reader informed us that today's Doug Hoerth program appears to be a rerun. However, this reader also pointed out that Doug's info has been removed from the WPTT website. That made us curious, so we checked the WJAS Website as well - no Doug. More as we hear it.
UPDATE: Comments are closed.
Oleen Eagle 1930-2007
Pittsburgh:Cornerstone TeleVision is mourning the loss of Oleen Eagle, President Emeritus. Eagle, who was known for her profound faith, was 77 when she died 12/2 of pancreatic cancer. Hired as the first employee by Cornerstone founder, Russ Bixler, she became President in 1994 and was elevated to President and CEO from 2000 - 2003.
According to the McKeesport Daily News (online to subscribers only) Prior to becoming the first employee at what was originally known at Western Pennsylvania Christian Broadcasting Co., Eagle worked in the fashion industry.
A memorial service will be held at the Monroeville Assembly of God on 12/15 at 11:00 AM
Move over, "Bob"
Pittsburgh: Like "Bob FM" WRRK-FM (96.9), Mike Greisinger claims he really does "play anything," but unlike Bob, he means it.Greisinger, son of local disc jockey Gary "Gary G" Greisinger, is now hosting "Mike on the Mic" at 2 p.m. Fridays on McKeesport's WEDO (810).
Greisinger tells Zandy Dudiak of the suburban Gateway Newspapers chain that a typical show might jump around from Christina Aguilera and Aerosmith to Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald.
"I want to try to play as much music as I can in the hour but make it as diverse as I can," Greisinger says. "I was told by somebody that I play too much of a variety. But the way I see it is it's my show and I'll play what I want."
(updated 12/4 to correct misspelling of "Aerosmith")
WYSU 88.5 adds it's Second HD Channel
Youngstown: Earlier this year, WYSU 88.5 from Youngstown State University promised to add a second HD channel to it's HD offerings. Over the weekend, I stumbled upon the new channel which is "All Classical, All The Time" according to the WYSU website. There are currently no plans to drop classical from WYSU's main signal for at least a few years, but there are rumors of the station flipping to NPR based news/talk while offering classical on it's second HD channel, which means that you will eventually need an HD Radio in order to hear classical music in the Youngstown area.Pass, Meathead!
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: According to a recent posting on Usenet by California TV buff Jim Ellwanger, this is an off-the-air recording of WCBS-TV in New York from the last week of March 1973 --- the very first week of "The $10,000 Pyramid":(Watch really, really quickly at the beginning for an station ID slide for WCBS-TV and the syndicated version of "What's My Line?")
Ellwanger notes that the master tape of this episode is lost; indeed, like most daily programs made before the late 1970s, videotapes of "Pyramid" and other games shows were routinely erased and reused.
At his game show website, TV historian Curt Alliaume notes that "Pyramid" debuted on CBS at 10:30 a.m. March 26, 1973, displacing "The Price is Right," which moved to 3 p.m. weekdays. Dick Clark was selected to host; though the show was taped in New York, Clark was in Hollywood, and commuted back and forth by airplane.
The show was taped in CBS' "Ed Sullivan Theater" at 1697 Broadway in New York, currently the permanent home of "The Late Show With David Letterman."
"Pyramid" started out with strong ratings, Alliaume notes, though it was pre-empted frequently for coverage of the U.S. Senate's hearings into the break-ins at Democratic Party headquarters by people connected with President Nixon's re-election campaign.
But when NBC moved "Jeopardy!" with Art Fleming to 10:30 a.m., "Pyramid"'s ratings began to slip, and CBS cancelled the show.
It moved to ABC in the afternoons, first at 4 p.m., and then 2 p.m. when "The Newlywed Game" was cancelled in December 1974. (That show returned in syndication in 1977, of course.)
From there, "The $10,000 Pyramid" became the Number 3-rated show on daytime TV --- a position it held for three years. The top prize was doubled (and the show's name changed to "The $20,000 Pyramid") in 1976, but the program was cancelled in 1980.
After a brief syndicated run as "The $50,000 Pyramid," it moved back to CBS as "The $25,000 Pyramid" and lasted until 1988. There have been periodic revivals on network TV and in syndication since then.
These days, though game shows remain strong on nighttime network lineups in the U.S., daytime network game shows are almost entirely gone.
About the last one left is "The Price is Right," which seems to be thriving on CBS with its new host, Drew Carey.
More WYTV news
Youngstown:
WYTV GM Dave Trabert announced to his employees on Friday (11/30) that he would also be leaving the station by mid-December. Trabert, who has been apart from his family in Kansas for four years, had been focusing on maintaining team morale and making sure the rumor mill was kept in control.
Meanwhile, 40 more of WYTV's (33) 70 employees have been given the boot so says The Business Journal of Youngstown (ONLINE: Subscribers Only). Gina Marinelli, anchor at WYTV is said to be working on getting a job at rival station WFMJ and 'FMJ expects other former WYTV employees to send their resumes.
PBRTV Hat Tip: Andrea Wood