Smizik: Changes coming to 1250 AM
Pittsburgh:Bob Smizik reported on his blog this afternoon that multiple industry sources are saying 1250 ESPN (WEAE) will cease operating in its current manner at this time next week and that full-time employees will be let go. Expect the format - albeit the national feeds nearly exclusively - to linger through the end of the year and Radio Disney to take over at that time. It is expected that during the interim some of the programs like Penn State football and other profit-makers will continue with part-time talent hosting the programs.
Sources are saying that Disney's agreement to run the teeny bopper format on WWCS-AM (540; Canonsburg) expires at the end of the year and which point sources tell Smizik the format is to move to 1250.
Reportedly the station has been losing money for several years, thus the reason for the recent personnel cuts of Eddy Crow, Joe Destio, Eartha Jackson and Jim Colony. Apparently the station had been up for sale but the weak economy and the weak 5000 watt signal on 1250 didn't bring on any buyers. The arrival of 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM) didn't help either as listeners and advertisers made the switch to the FM station, despite the fact that 1250 has maintained a ratings lead.
Further reports say that Clear Channel is likely to adopt the ESPN programming on WBGG-AM (970) which currently carries Fox Sports.
Stay tuned...
Readers’ Forum
I remember when 1250 was WTAE and they played music and then went to all talk. I remember as a kid, Mom would switch back and forth between Jack Bogut and O’Brian and Gary. On question I have is if 1250 (WEAE) goes Radio Disney (yuck) and ESPN foes to 970 (WBGG-AM), what will happen to 540 (WWCS)?
Charles D. Mandus - September 24, 2010 at 11:00 pm
93.7 Should change to ESPN or Clearchannel should change to 105.9 the X to 105-9 Espn
Ohsnaps - September 25, 2010 at 01:20 am
540 is owned by Birach Broadcasting. I imagine they would go back to the kind of paid programming they were running before Disney leased the frequency.
Seeing Eye - September 25, 2010 at 09:04 am
Not to get off topic, but looks like 100.7 is getting a web site redesign. I noticed their new commercials this weekend, and when I go to their website you get
“Website Coming Soon…You are seeing this page because the DNS for this site was recently changed inorder to make the site live.
DNS changes generally take 24 to 48 hours to fully propagate through the internet.”
Maybe this is a big deal, maybe not. But with Keith Clark leaving, could it mean a format/DJ lineup change?
Please check back….
DaveWL - September 26, 2010 at 5:25 pm
I’ve been waiting for someone else to write “I remember when 1250 was W*C*AE” many decades ago – and 96.1 was WCAE-FM. (Also, I noted Jason’s cartoon in September’s Popular Communications. I hadn’t realized that he is a fellow radio ham.)
BIll - September 27, 2010 at 07:43 am
Just out of curiosity, I checked 1250’s website and it links to the main espn radio website, with no mention of local talent and/or their respective shows. I guess we will have to see if they are put back on the air for this week or they are already done.
DaveWL - September 27, 2010 at 09:41 am
3 or 4 years ago I might have been upset, but in the those years ESPN National and local have gotten stale and bland. It was very special for this region to have a local ESPN station because I don’t think many other Cities have the local and national ESPN programming like we do here.
To whomever mentioned changing the X to an ESPN station, the X is the only rock station that plays primarily new or 90’s rock. Lets not throw the last station that doesn’t cater to the middle aged out the window, us young people need some radio to turn on.
Dave B - September 27, 2010 at 2:46 pm
I heard they are done as of now. The info leaked out too soon and ESPN decided to can the on air staff as of today.
J. Bledsoe - September 27, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Aren’t there already enough stations in the ‘Burgh that cater to teens? If you ask me, there are no enough stations that cater to middle-agers who don’t want to listen to Free Bird, grunge rock or the constant blatherings of paranoiac white males.
Rick - September 27, 2010 at 10:02 pm
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