WYZR is on the air

Bethany, West Virginia-licensed WYZR went on the air at 1:15 this afternoon one day ahead of schedule. The station, once owned by Bethany College, is the new home to the jazz format which was abandoned two years ago when WDUQ (90.5) was sold to Essential Public Media and became WESA.

The new WYZR 88.1 will remain licensed to Bethany, although its signal will be heard pretty well through Pittsburgh’s southern and western suburbs. Initially though, the signal will be weak until the new transmitter is installed. Owned by Pittsburgh Public Media, the station will, at first, feature the non-profit’s Pittsburgh Jazz Channel programming until new studios can be built. Those are to be placed at Donaldson’s Crossroads in McMurray, Washington County.