WRTA (AM)

Last updated

WRTA
Broadcast area
Frequency 1240 kHz
Branding"Talk Radio 98.5 & 1240 WRTA"
Programming
Format News/talk
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Matthew W. Lightner
  • (Lightner Communications LLC)
History
First air date
 1946
Call sign meaning
Roy Thompson Altoona
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 67505
Class C
Power 1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
 40°30′26.3″N78°25′14″W / 40.507306°N 78.42056°W / 40.507306; -78.42056
Translator(s) 98.5 W253CJ (Altoona)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website www.lightnercommunications.com/wrta-2/

WRTA (1240 kHz) is a news/talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Altoona, Pennsylvania, serving Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania. WRTA is owned and operated by Matt Lightner, through licensee Lightner Communications LLC.

Contents

History

WRTA began broadcasting June 18, 1947, on 1240 kHz with 250 watts of power. The station was an ABC affiliate and was owned by Roy Thompson. [2]

Roy Thompson sold WRTA to the Altoona Trans Audio Corporation in March 1956. [3] The Altoona Trans Audio Corporation was composed of Martin J. Malarkey Jr., John L. Miller, Horace Richards, and Louis "Lou" Murray. In September 1982, the Altoona Trans Audio Corporation elected David Rodney "Rod" Wolf President and Chief Operating Officer. Wolf still maintained his positions as Treasurer and General Manager. Rod Wolf joined WRTA in January 1957 where he served in multiple capacities on and off the air. [4]

Rod Wolf, President of Altoona Trans Audio, announced the sale of WRTA to David A. Barger, president of Handsome Brothers Inc., in November 2003. The sale marked the first change in ownership of WRTA in more than 45 years. [5] Rebecca Barger sold the station to Lightner Communications, LLC (Matt Lightner) in July 2019, joining it with stations WKMC, WYUP, WBRX, WBXQ and WTRN. [6] [7] Matt Lightner is a long time Broadcast Engineer and area business owner. The sale was consummated on October 1, 2019, at a price of $675,000.

WRTA added an FM translator at 98.5 MHz (W253CJ) that provides city grade FM coverage of Altoona and coverage in all of Blair County, and part of Cambria County.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WRTA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "WRTA, New ABC Affiliate Underway in Altoona, Pa" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 30, 1947. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Radio Station WRTA In Altoona Sold To New Corporation", Clearfield Progress, March 31, 1956, page five.
  4. ↑ "Audio Corp. Lists Officers", Altoona Mirror, September 9, 1982, page 15.
  5. ↑ "Altoona radio station sold to Cresson broadcaster | TyronePA.com". www.tyronepa.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ Lightner buys Altoona cluster
  7. ↑ "WRTA-AM, 3 others sold".
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