History
Beginnings as WESA
For many of its years, this station was known as WESA. The station debuted November 9, 1947, and for much of its existence, operated as a full-service station serving the Mon-Yough valley, which comprises communities along the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers.
Pierre Paulin was the first manager of WESA, which then operated from studios and offices at Charleroi Recreational Park on Fifth Street in downtown Charleroi, and was owned by the Monongahela Valley Broadcasting Corporation. Dr. A.S. Sickman served as the company's president. One of the station's owner principals was Milton Hammond, who would venture on his own during the 1960s to sign on a new FM known then as WNUF in New Kensington, and then go on to publish "The Green Sheet" in the late 1970s.
On April 23, 1965, Monongahela Valley Broadcasting Corporation sold WESA to Laubach Radio Properties, headed by John Laubach. William G. Richards then became the station's new general manager.
The station operated as a sunrise to sunset operation for many years until receiving nighttime power authorization in the late 1980s.
WESA-FM
WESA was joined by an FM station, WESA-FM, which signed on July 10, 1967. From this time, both stations simulcast one another part of the day until about 1981, when the first round of FCC deregulation came about, eliminating the 50/50 rule mandating that AM/FM combo operators originate separate programming for at least half of the broadcast day. Both stations then became 100 percent simulcast.
The two stations were sold in May 1985 from Laubach Radio Properties to Farr Communications, headed by Alan Murdoch, who also served as general manager. Farr Communications left the stations literally unchanged until 1998, when on-air operations were split. WESA-FM became Z98 with new call letters WZKT and a new Top 40/Modern Rock format. Some programming continued to be simulcast between both stations, but WESA's programming was more news and information oriented, along with local talk, as had been the case in its halcyon years.
The station was sold in early 2000 to Keymarket Communications, for $1.3 million. Keymarket immediately changed the station's format to its popular "Froggy" country music format, and then petitioned the FCC to change the FM station's (now known as WPKV) city of license from Charleroi to Duquesne, which would allow the station to move its signal closer to Pittsburgh.
Decline and End
The station's popular "Froggy" country format resonated well with listeners, and soon Keymarket petitioned the FCC for a power increase of one of its properties west of Pittsburgh, and also completed the sale of another station east of Pittsburgh. With coverage of Pittsburgh from these two stations now complete, Keymarket decided to sell off 98.3 FM to Educational Media Foundation, which used the station as the Pittsburgh outlet of its popular "K-Love" contemporary Christian radio format.
940 AM continued its simulcast of the "Froggy" format, but the station was plagued by transmitter problems and was more or less a non-factor among its more powerful FM counterparts. On April 9, 2012, AM 940 was silenced by Keymarket. In a letter dated November 19, 2012, Keymarket formally surrendered the station's license, declaring that it would not "return to the air in the future."
WPKV is a non-commercial radio station licensed to serve Duquesne, Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh media market. The station is owned and operated by Educational Media Foundation and is an affiliate of K-LOVE, EMF's contemporary Christian music network.
WYEP-FM is a listener-supported non-commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries an Adult Album Alternative (AAA) radio format and is run by the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation, along with 90.5 WESA. The studios and offices are on Bedford Square. WYEP-FM holds periodic fundraisers to support the station.
WOGG is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Oliver, Pennsylvania, United States, the station is currently owned by FM Radio Licenses, LLC and simulcasts with sister stations WOGI and WOGH. WOGG is also one of the local primary’s for the Emergency Alert System for Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the other one being WPKL 99.3
WDAE is a commercial radio station licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida and serving the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a sports radio format. WDAE is one of the oldest radio stations in Florida still broadcasting today, going on the air in 1922. The studios and offices are on West Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. The transmitter site is located near the Gandy Bridge in St. Petersburg.
WKHB is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Irwin, Pennsylvania, and serving Greater Pittsburgh. It is owned by Broadcast Communications, Inc., and it carries a brokered programming radio format. During the day, hosts pay the station for time on the air and may advertise their products or services during their shows. At night, WKHB plays oldies music.
WBGI was an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, approximately 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Pittsburgh. The station was last owned by Keymarket Communications, which also held the final broadcast license. Long known as WCVI, WBGI fell silent after several years of simulcasting sister station WPKL in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, which aired, and continues to air, a classic hits radio format. Its license was cancelled on July 19, 2012.
WGHQ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley. WGHQ is owned by Pamal Broadcasting The station airs a mix of adult standards, oldies, and soft adult contemporary formats known as "Magic 92.5".
WFGI-FM is a Froggy branded country music formatted radio station in Pennsylvania serving the Johnstown area. The station is owned and operated by Seven Mountains Media, LLC.
WKRZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Freeland, Pennsylvania, and serving the Wilkes-Barre - Scranton - Northeastern Pennsylvania radio market. It has aired a Top 40/CHR radio format since 1980. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc., through licensee Audacy License, LLC.
WHEB is a commercial radio station licensed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and serving the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire and Southern Maine. The station airs a mainstream rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. WHEB broadcasts in the HD Radio format. A commercial-free dance music format airs over the HD2 subchannel, under the brand 24 Hour Cardio Mix. WHEB's studios, offices and transmitter are on Lafayette Road in Portsmouth.
WNTJ is a radio station licensed to serve Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. The station, established in 1946, is currently owned by Seven Mountains Media.
WGRP is a licensed Class D radio station broadcasting from Greenville, Pennsylvania. WGRP broadcasts full-time. However, it only sends out 2 watts in the nighttime hours, in order to protect a Canadian and Mexican clear-channel which is reserved by international treaty. The Canadian Class A station is no longer on the air; the Mexican station is XEQ in Mexico City.
WLOR is a radio station licensed to Huntsville, Alabama, United States, that serves the greater Tennessee Valley area. WLOR is part of the Black Crow Media Group and the broadcast license is held by BCA Radio, LLC, Debtor-in-Possession. Its studios are located off University Drive in Huntsville, and its transmitter is located north of the city.
WOHI is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to East Liverpool, Ohio, United States, it serves the Pittsburgh area. The station is currently owned by FM Radio Licenses, LLC.
WASP was a radio station formerly licensed to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, United States. It served the Pittsburgh area. The station was owned by Keymarket Licenses, LLC.
WUZZ is an AM radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to New Castle, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves the New Castle, Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio areas. The station is currently owned by Seven Mountains Media.
WGGI is an American radio station, licensed to serve Somerset, Pennsylvania; the seat of country music for Somerset County. The station broadcasts with a maximum output power of 10,000 watts during the day and greatly reduces power to 100 watts at night, using a two-tower directional antenna system. The station is a simulcast of WFGI-FM in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
WOGI is a radio station broadcasting a Froggy branded country music format. Licensed in the Pittsburgh suburb of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States, the station serves the Pittsburgh Media Market. The station serves as the defacto flagship station of Forever Media, LLC and simulcasts on WOGG and WOGH.
WOGH is a commercial radio station licensed to Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves Western Pennsylvania including part of Greater Pittsburgh, as well as the West Virginia Panhandle and Eastern Ohio. It is owned by Forever Media and airs a country radio format known as "Froggy".
WNVR is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Vernon Hills, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area. WNVR is one of eight stations owned by Polnet Communications. It simulcasts a Polish language radio format with sister station WRDZ 1300 AM. The studios and offices are located at 3656 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.
