I also just got into Pittsburgh....but not from Florida!

[CaliRadioGuy]

I read Ms. MusicRadio's post about listening to the airwaves after getting back in town and thought I would do the same since I just got back into Pittsburgh from the West Coast and listened to the Pittsburgh airwaves for the first time since December. So a few observations:

1)Wow, WOAB is pretty sad. You all weren't kidding me when I asked about it a few months ago. They did have some religious music the one day and a rather dry biblical discussion the next. And then dead air this afternoon. My question is, who the heck are these people and do they even know what they are doing? They are loosing money (even though its non-commercial) just by broadcasting dead air. And its pretty embarrassing to say the least on their behalf!

2)The Fan sounds like it has some potential. Then again, I am not really big into sports, so I am probably not really qualified to talk about this. It would probably help if they can sign to broadcast a sports team though. The Pittsburgh sports radio market seems to be getting heavy now with ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, The Fan, and somewhat with The X who has with Tim Benz and Mark Madden. Can Pittsburgh support 3.5 sports radio stations?

3)Star 100.7 sounds less like a soccer mom station / dentist office station since they picked up more CHR music. I can definitely notice the tweak in the format. But the station seems to be kind of a watered down B94 and not as hip like Kiss FM. But then again I am sliding into my late 20s and I am not as hip as I once was either. But in hindsight, is Star even really competing with Kiss FM?

4)I still need to listen to Bob-FM and more of the AM bands such as WMNY and give it a try. I forgot about that when I started writing this.

I don't know. The Pittsburgh airwaves seem kind of dull nowadays with Internet radio and Sirius / XM. But its good to hear the famous “KDKA AM 1020” and WDVE again!

Oh, and from observing these posts, it seems like a lot of you used to live in Pittsburgh but live else where now. So here is my final question, are there things you hear on the airwaves in your current city that could work in Pittsburgh? Or are there things that would not?

And yes, Ms. MusicRadio, I noticed the airport was all closed up when I flew in rather early in the evening on Sunday. And Sabbaro pizza is now gone too!

 

[Jkf]

1. WAOB is not only a disgrace to religious stations but to the entire broadcasting industry. Get used to it because with bankrupt owners there will be more outfits like this buying up major FM stations.

2. The Fan MIGHT have potential if Pittsburgh didn't already have umpteen sports stations. Maybe with a pro contract, maybe with a Tim Benz or MM. None of which is going to happen. They might get Pitt. That's it.

3. The STAR playlist was tweaked to match Mix 106.5 in Baltimore who only until recently had no CHR station. The presentation is still dull and lifeless and I don't understand why since their personalities are so talented yet so restrained on-air. It might as well be board op'd. Soccer moms should be going to the Q or WISH this station should be the middle ground between Kiss and the latter.

4. AM is a wasteland here other than 620/770 minus the snake oil shows. If you've heard Bob in any other market - you've heard Bob here.

 

[FreddyE1977]

1)Wow, WOAB is pretty sad. You all weren't kidding me when I asked about it a few months ago. They did have some religious music the one day and a rather dry biblical discussion the next. And then dead air this afternoon. My question is, who the heck are these people and do they even know what they are doing? They are loosing money (even though its non-commercial) just by broadcasting dead air. And its pretty embarrassing to say the least on their behalf!

There are certainly devoted Catholics out there who have skill and experience. Obviously this ownership group has made absolutely no effort to find them.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

I think Tampa radio has more direct competition and at this time offers more formats. The problem is that there are 3 major ownership groups on FM. Cox, CC, and CBS. The major music stations on FM go sumptin like this:

92.5------Hispanic and Latin music ------CBS
93.3------CHR-----CC
94.1-------Churban----CBS
94.9--------WSHH like AC------Cox
95.7-------Urban-------CC
97.1-------Alternative------Cox
97.9-------AOR-----CC
98.7-------Smooth music formerly Smooth Jazz. Like a softer Urban AC--------CBS
99.7-------Country----CBS
100.7-------STAR like Hot AC except with Tesh------CC
101.5-------80's--------Cox
102.5---Classic Rock------Cox
103.5--------Country-----CC
104.7-------Classic Hits-------CBS---heavy on personality
105.5------automated jukebox playing oldies and soft AC----No.1 12+-------Cox
107.3---------Classic Hits-------Cox










101.5--------80's------Cox

 

[Parttimer]

Well, you've got CBS and CC here also, and basically Renda, Steel City and Keymarket split up what would be Cox's share of the market. also Tampa has about 5 more FMs because of all the Class C move-ins (94.1 is licensed to Lakeland, 103.5 Bradenton, 105.5 Port Richey).

It would be like WJPA, 97.7 in Butler and 103.1 all having full-market blowtorch signals. That just doesnt' happen up north because of the proximity of other markets and Canada.

 

[SteelRocker]

I moved to Lancaster, PA last June. I can tell you that I'd take the Pittsburgh radio stations any day over the offerings we have here. It's a shame too because this area covers Berks, Lancaster, York and Harrisburg markets. There's no FM talk whatsoever and no FM all sports. There's no true Alternative station either. It's heavy on CHR, HOT AC, AC, oldies and classic rock with forgettable jocks filling the airwaves.

Sure it's easy to gripe about what you don't have in Pittsburgh radio but really, it's not that bad there either.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Well, you've got CBS and CC here also, and basically Renda, Steel City and Keymarket split up what would be Cox's share of the market. also Tampa has about 5 more FMs because of all the Class C move-ins (94.1 is licensed to Lakeland, 103.5 Bradenton, 105.5 Port Richey).

It would be like WJPA, 97.7 in Butler and 103.1 all having full-market blowtorch signals. That just doesnt' happen up north because of the proximity of other markets and Canada.

103.5 moved it's COL to Gulfport Fl. which is next to St.Pete. Tampa also has fringe stations putting in somewhat listenable signals like Hall Communications' country 95.7 and variety hits 98.3 coming out of Lakeland. Also 107.9 and 106.5 from Sarasota. There is also 96.1 and 106.3 that can be heard in parts of the metro. There is no FM talk or sports so far. Cox's Classic Hits WHPT is heavy on "guy talk" and low on music. NPR and all the faith based stations are still in the lower band.

 

[KeyTimes950]

In defense of WAOB

First of all, the dead air on WAOB drives me nuts as well. There is no question that the ownership is more devoted to the faith expounded than to the sort of radio we all would like to hear.
Having said that, WAOB is a lot closer to what will constitute successful Catholic radio in this market than what Relevant Radio tried to do on WZUM.
While Relevant Radio is clearly more professional, it also came in with an attitude of being more Catholic than the Pope, or at least the local bishops.
The Catholic Church has a hierarchy of the Bishop of Rome, the provincial archbishops and the local bishops, then the parish priests and the congregations.
Nowhere on that list does one see "Catholic media."
St. Joseph Missions wisely went and consulted with the local bishop, the Most Rev. Lawrence Brandt in Greensburg (SJM's studios are outside Latrobe), and he gave what I would think a "nihil obstat" (there is no error) if not an outright "imprimatur" (approval) to what SJM is doing.
Also, Relevant Radio really thought it could take WZUM-1590 and expand its signal to cover the entire Pittsburgh diocese ... which would have been really impressive to the folks at Akron's WAKR-1590 and a few other stations on nearby frequencies.
WAOB eventually will fill its entire timeslot with programming. I have no inside information (these folks do hold everything close to the breast), but would say the classical and religious music that fills much of the space could lead to a Pittsburgh equivalent of what aired on the St. Louis FM the Missouri Synod now is selling.
Maybe I'm talking through my hat, but I think these folks are doing, for the most part, the right things. You will never have a Catholic WORD-FM or K-Love at WAOB ... but that's not what these folks are seeking to do.

 

[cingram]

Re: In defense of WAOB

Relevant Radio really thought it could take WZUM-1590 and expand its signal to cover the entire Pittsburgh diocese ... which would have been really impressive to the folks at Akron's WAKR-1590 and a few other stations on nearby frequencies.

One of the stations WZUM protected, directionally speaking, was 1580 Waynesburg. Now that WANB has moved to 1210, I'd
bet they indeed could improve the signal, at least a little.

C.