On October 19 1947 WPGH Radio 1080 Pittsburgh Began Broadcasting From a Tower site on East Lane atop spring Hill in the North side of the City Using a Power of 1,000 Watts daytime Only.
Eight equal Partners [12.5%] owned the Station Doing Business As Pittsburgh Broadcasting Company. The Call Letters West view Park George Harton, Stood for a Partner and also owner of West view Amusement Park.
A Mailing was Sent out To Introduce the Station On it was a drawing of a Woman saying “Have you Heard What’s going on Between KDKA 1020 and WCAE 1250” On Opening the Flyer the Answer was “It’s WPGH the Best in Pittsburgh radio at 1080 on your Dial”.
August 19 1954 John Kluge [88%] and Marcus Austed [12%] Owners of WGAY Silver Springs Maryland Purchased WPGH on September 24, 1954 Call Letters were Changed to WILY For Wylie Ave in the Hill district As an R&B Format was Started. WILY Became WEEP on October 1 1957. Then on August 1 1959 WEEP was sold to Myron Jones. June 20, 1960 an application for a Construction Permit to Change City of License to Mt. Oliver Reduce Power to 500 watts and Run full time with a Nighttime directional Pattern was requested.{ [Hearings on this CP Continued until 1964 With the FCC Questioning if Mt. Oliver was a Separate from Pittsburgh.][I was Unable to find the Final Outcome] }
In October 1961 the call letters were changed from WEEP to WYRE using a Country Music and ethnic Format. February1963 WYRE changed to WEEP using a 98% Country Music Format. March 15, 1967 the FCC Granted WEEP a Power incress to 50 kW Day 25kw CH using a 4 Tower Directional Antenna array. September 8 1969 the FCC granted a 56 watt psa. October 1970 Weep raised Daytime Power to 50 kw day 25 kw CH. In 1971 WEEP Dropped Country and Switched to an all Talk Format. In 1976 WEEP Dropped Talk Debuting a “Modern Country Music Format”. September 15,1977 Myron Jones Sold WEEP to Entercom Witch Formed 1080 Corp. 1978 25kw CH Operation ended leaving WEEP a 50kw Directional Daytime Only Station.
May 24 1982 a Construction permit was Granted Moving WEEP to 1070 with 50 KW day 2500 watts Night Two Patterns Directional, Changing City of license from Pittsburgh to Hampton Township. Those Changes were Never Carried Out.
1986 WEEP Dropped “Modern Country”for Tran stars “Oldies Channel”. Format February 1992 WEEP Became WDSY using SMN’S “Real Country Music “Format. WDSY Changed Call Letters back to WEEP September 1992. March 21 1995 WEEP Again Became WDSY Simulating WDSY FM With Unistars “Hot Country Music Format”.
November 1996 WDSY Switched to a Black Gospel Music format under an LMA by Mortonson Broadcasting .April 1 1997 Mortonson Bought the Station Changing Calls to WPGR[ Pittsburgh Gospel radio]
July 30 1999 WPGR was Temporality Silenced to install a New 50 KW Transmitter. September 6 1999 WWNL New Life Radio was on the Air with a Contemporary Christian Music Format.
September 2001 WWNL was sold to Steel City Radio the Current Owner.1080 AM Radio Pittsburgh is the 69th Oldest Continuously Licensed Station in Pa. Happy Birthday.
Eight equal Partners [12.5%] owned the Station Doing Business As Pittsburgh Broadcasting Company. The Call Letters West view Park George Harton, Stood for a Partner and also owner of West view Amusement Park.
A Mailing was Sent out To Introduce the Station On it was a drawing of a Woman saying “Have you Heard What’s going on Between KDKA 1020 and WCAE 1250” On Opening the Flyer the Answer was “It’s WPGH the Best in Pittsburgh radio at 1080 on your Dial”.
August 19 1954 John Kluge [88%] and Marcus Austed [12%] Owners of WGAY Silver Springs Maryland Purchased WPGH on September 24, 1954 Call Letters were Changed to WILY For Wylie Ave in the Hill district As an R&B Format was Started. WILY Became WEEP on October 1 1957. Then on August 1 1959 WEEP was sold to Myron Jones. June 20, 1960 an application for a Construction Permit to Change City of License to Mt. Oliver Reduce Power to 500 watts and Run full time with a Nighttime directional Pattern was requested.{ [Hearings on this CP Continued until 1964 With the FCC Questioning if Mt. Oliver was a Separate from Pittsburgh.][I was Unable to find the Final Outcome] }
In October 1961 the call letters were changed from WEEP to WYRE using a Country Music and ethnic Format. February1963 WYRE changed to WEEP using a 98% Country Music Format. March 15, 1967 the FCC Granted WEEP a Power incress to 50 kW Day 25kw CH using a 4 Tower Directional Antenna array. September 8 1969 the FCC granted a 56 watt psa. October 1970 Weep raised Daytime Power to 50 kw day 25 kw CH. In 1971 WEEP Dropped Country and Switched to an all Talk Format. In 1976 WEEP Dropped Talk Debuting a “Modern Country Music Format”. September 15,1977 Myron Jones Sold WEEP to Entercom Witch Formed 1080 Corp. 1978 25kw CH Operation ended leaving WEEP a 50kw Directional Daytime Only Station.
May 24 1982 a Construction permit was Granted Moving WEEP to 1070 with 50 KW day 2500 watts Night Two Patterns Directional, Changing City of license from Pittsburgh to Hampton Township. Those Changes were Never Carried Out.
1986 WEEP Dropped “Modern Country”for Tran stars “Oldies Channel”. Format February 1992 WEEP Became WDSY using SMN’S “Real Country Music “Format. WDSY Changed Call Letters back to WEEP September 1992. March 21 1995 WEEP Again Became WDSY Simulating WDSY FM With Unistars “Hot Country Music Format”.
November 1996 WDSY Switched to a Black Gospel Music format under an LMA by Mortonson Broadcasting .April 1 1997 Mortonson Bought the Station Changing Calls to WPGR[ Pittsburgh Gospel radio]
July 30 1999 WPGR was Temporality Silenced to install a New 50 KW Transmitter. September 6 1999 WWNL New Life Radio was on the Air with a Contemporary Christian Music Format.
September 2001 WWNL was sold to Steel City Radio the Current Owner.1080 AM Radio Pittsburgh is the 69th Oldest Continuously Licensed Station in Pa. Happy Birthday.
