Updates
Pittsburgh:Here's some scoop from Pat Cloonan of the McKeesport Daily News (portion not offered online):
- Renda's WGSM Greensburg (107.1) is morphing from "Sam-FM" into "G-107". The Sam format, launched in January 2006, has been an "anything we want" style format a la "Jack" and/or "Bob-FM." The station is slowly going to a classic hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Station manager Tony Michaels told Cloonan, "Renda Broadcasting is solidly committed to Westmoreland County," adding that the new afternoon news by Hank Baughman has been positive and complimentary to Brent Whigham's morning news. Baughman adds these new duties to his role at Renda Broadcasting. A Westmoreland resident, he has been the morning news anchor on sister station WSHH-FM (99.7) for over 20 years recently adding similar duties on AM sister WJAS (1320).
- Over the air TV viewers will have noticed WBGN's presence at "virtual" 59.1 while airing from 16. WBGN has three subchannels in addition to its main channel. PBRTV has been particularly intrigued with the 3rd channel called "Stuff" which carries local ads and public service.
- Country-wide top-40 expert Casey Kasem is giving up his host duties for American Top-20 and AT-10. This weekend will be his final program which will allow him the opportunity to do voiceover jobs he's had to turn down more recently. No one carries AT20 or 10 in this market that we are aware, but older programs can be found on Satellite Radio.
Readers’ Forum
Wow! Hank Baughman has been doing news for a long time, including some years at WPXI / WIIC. He joined WSHH even before it adopted its current soft rock format.
J.P. - July 01, 2009 at 07:54 am
Just for the record, I re-scanned my tv converter box, and was unable to find these new WBGN channels.
Troy - July 01, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Eric, Casey has not been doing American Top 40 for a while. That is now Ryan Seacrest’s show. He has been doing American Top 20 for Hot AC and American Top 10 for Mainstream AC stations. Some people say that this might have been decided by Premier radio Netowkrs (Clear Channel(, not by Casey.
Jeff Roteman - July 01, 2009 at 4:11 pm
The retro AT40 programs from the 70’s and 80’s are also available on terresterial stations. WMVL “Cool 101.7” airs the 70’s version from 7-10 am on Saturdays. WWSE “SE-93” in Jamestown, New York airs both versions from 4pm-midnight. I think only the 70’s version of AT40 is on Sirius XM “70’s on 7” since classic Rick Dees 80’s countdowns air on “80’s on 8” channel.
Tom Lavery (URL) - July 01, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Jeff, Comment duly noted and errors corrected.
Eric O'Brien - July 01, 2009 at 9:41 pm
The AT40 classic 70’s can be heard here in Youngstown at WBBG Big 106, Tuesday nights and Saturday and Sunday Mornings. Love it!
scott - July 02, 2009 at 06:59 am
I’ve noticed WBGN’s other channels. There’s QVC, something that only shows 3 or 4 commercials in a loop, and another channel that plays their paid programming shows.
I’m very happy that I can get WBGN (The It’s Alive Show, Stargate Atlantis) digitally now. I just wish they’d at least index their extra channels, or maybe even put some other programming on them.
drewzhrodague (URL) - July 03, 2009 at 10:22 am
If you see the movie “Away We Go” — now playing in Pittsburgh and other big cities — you’ll find a reference to Casey Kasem.
Chucky - July 03, 2009 at 6:08 pm
I’m still waiting for WBGN’s digital translator in New Castle to launch. I keep rescanning my converter box and nothing is coming up from them. WBGN told me that they will be on the air digitally in New Castle sometime this summer. WBGN must like taking the former analog designations for their digital allocations for all of their stations, because they’re taking the channel 27 allocation for their digital signal in New Castle that once belonged to WKBN-TV in Youngstown. I assume the PSIP will have it on channel 56 (like the analog channel was) and not 27.
Joe Gerard (URL) - July 03, 2009 at 11:00 pm
I am very disappointed! I moved from one radio station 100.7 because they got rid of Kate on the JR & Kate show in the moring. I found SAM FM and was hooked becasue it played the 80’s and the format was really good. Now… well time to find another station.
I do like Hank!!!!!
Michael - July 15, 2009 at 1:05 pm