WANB
Encyclopedia
WANB is an American radio station
broadcasting a Country
format. Licensed to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
, USA, it serves southwestern Pennsylvania and portions of West Virginia and Ohio.. The station is currently owned by Broadcast Communications, Inc.
George McGary and his wife, Pat, moved from New York to Waynesburg to become the first station managers at WANB. In the early days, George spent most of his time canvassing for ads to keep the station going. Al Harvey and John Biery Jr. were two of the early DJs. Lucinda (Toddy) Greenlee was the sales person and Ruth Miller was the station secretary.
In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common for unknown recording artists to show up at the station and ask DJs to plug their latest record. One singer who stopped at WANB was Bobby Vinton
from Canonsburg PA who was plugging "High Steppin Majorette" a couple of years before he had the first of many hits including "Roses Are Red" and "Blue Velvet".
One of the notable shows in the early days of the station was "Trading Post" where local townspeople could call in and advertise their household goods for sale. In the 1960s, the final hour of the station day was called "Serenade to Sunset" and consisted of playing full instrumental albums from such artists as Percy Faith, Montovani, and the like. There was no DJ or commercials during this final hour.
Other DJs in the 1960s were Paul Merryman and Bill Parker among others.
In 1964, Jim and Frances Pattison moved to Waynesburg to assume ownership of the station. They performed many duties at the station, from sales to broadcasting. Their son, Tom, had a Saturday morning "psychelic show" which was quite different from the music that was played the remainder of the week.
A daytime-only station for its entire existence, WANB was joined by a simulcast
FM
sister station on April 21, 1978; enabling listeners to enjoy local radio service after the AM was forced to leave the air at sundown.
John Loeper, who had been the general manager of WANB for many years, left the station in 1990 to become the minority partner in JJG Communications, which purchased Washington County competitor WKEG
that year, which had been forced to go dark
under its former owner. The venture was unsuccessful, and Loeper left the radio business altogether the following year. He was replaced by Judy Rostoka, who held the position for approximately 15 years after his departure.
In 1991, WANB vacated its longtime home in the First Federal building (which had begun to fall into disrepair) and moved to a spacious new, modern, all-steel building at its transmitter site just south of Waynesburg and off I-79. Engineering personnel had designed the building with expansion in mind if that were ever the goal of ownership present or future.
-based company headed by Pittsburgh broadcaster Bob Stevens.
Stevens had previously built and owned WKYN
in St. Marys, Pennsylvania; and later sold it in the mid-1990s to buy WHJB
and WBCW
, in Greensburg and Jeannette respectively; wishing to own a station closer to his hometown.
WANB has been a proven testing ground for up-and-coming young radio talent that moved on to bigger markets. Former morning DJ Drew Gordon moved on to legendary country music powerhouse Q102
in DuBois, Pennsylvania
; and former news director Lori Salva-Houy moved on to field reporting duties at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.
WANB was granted a construction permit in 2006 to move to a lower dial position of 1210 kHz with a power increase to 5,000 watts. The station began broadcasting on its new frequency on December 31, 2009.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. Licensed to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
Waynesburg is a borough in and the county seat of Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States, southwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,184 at the 2000 census....
, USA, it serves southwestern Pennsylvania and portions of West Virginia and Ohio.. The station is currently owned by Broadcast Communications, Inc.
History
WANB debuted in September, 1956 at 1580 AM, and for many years was the only radio station serving Greene County. From the time of its inception until 1991, WANB broadcast from the First Federal bank building on East High Street in downtown Waynesburg.George McGary and his wife, Pat, moved from New York to Waynesburg to become the first station managers at WANB. In the early days, George spent most of his time canvassing for ads to keep the station going. Al Harvey and John Biery Jr. were two of the early DJs. Lucinda (Toddy) Greenlee was the sales person and Ruth Miller was the station secretary.
In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common for unknown recording artists to show up at the station and ask DJs to plug their latest record. One singer who stopped at WANB was Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
from Canonsburg PA who was plugging "High Steppin Majorette" a couple of years before he had the first of many hits including "Roses Are Red" and "Blue Velvet".
One of the notable shows in the early days of the station was "Trading Post" where local townspeople could call in and advertise their household goods for sale. In the 1960s, the final hour of the station day was called "Serenade to Sunset" and consisted of playing full instrumental albums from such artists as Percy Faith, Montovani, and the like. There was no DJ or commercials during this final hour.
Other DJs in the 1960s were Paul Merryman and Bill Parker among others.
In 1964, Jim and Frances Pattison moved to Waynesburg to assume ownership of the station. They performed many duties at the station, from sales to broadcasting. Their son, Tom, had a Saturday morning "psychelic show" which was quite different from the music that was played the remainder of the week.
A daytime-only station for its entire existence, WANB was joined by a simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
FM
WKVE
-External links:*...
sister station on April 21, 1978; enabling listeners to enjoy local radio service after the AM was forced to leave the air at sundown.
John Loeper, who had been the general manager of WANB for many years, left the station in 1990 to become the minority partner in JJG Communications, which purchased Washington County competitor WKEG
WKZV
WKZV is a 1,000 watt, two-tower directional, daytime-only AM radio station in the Pittsburgh radio market, licensed to Washington, Pennsylvania. As of February 2009, the station is airing country music.-The WKEG Years:...
that year, which had been forced to go dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
under its former owner. The venture was unsuccessful, and Loeper left the radio business altogether the following year. He was replaced by Judy Rostoka, who held the position for approximately 15 years after his departure.
In 1991, WANB vacated its longtime home in the First Federal building (which had begun to fall into disrepair) and moved to a spacious new, modern, all-steel building at its transmitter site just south of Waynesburg and off I-79. Engineering personnel had designed the building with expansion in mind if that were ever the goal of ownership present or future.
Sale to Broadcast Communications, Inc.
WANB has had only two owners in its longtime tenured history. Massachusetts attorney Joseph F. Hennessey and engineer Ken Strawberry, who together made up WANB, Inc. (though Hennessey himself was listed as licensee) decided to sell the station for $850,000 in December 2001 to Broadcast Communications, Inc.; a Westmoreland County, PennsylvaniaWestmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
-based company headed by Pittsburgh broadcaster Bob Stevens.
Stevens had previously built and owned WKYN
WDDH
WDDH is an American radio station, licensed to Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. The station operates at the assigned frequency of 97.5 MHz and an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. Its studios and offices sit atop Bootjack Mountain, just on the outskirts of Ridgway, Pennsylvania in Kersey, about...
in St. Marys, Pennsylvania; and later sold it in the mid-1990s to buy WHJB
WKHB
WKHB is an AM radio station licensed to Irwin, Pennsylvania, United States, which serves the greater Pittsburgh area. Known as 620 KHB, the station operates with 5,500 watts daytime and airs a mix of health talk and paid programming with oldies music in the morning, evening and overnight hours...
and WBCW
WKFB
WKFB is an AM radio station licensed to Jeannette, Pennsylvania that serves the greater Pittsburgh area. Known as 770 KFB, the station operates with 750 watts, and airs a mix of health talk and paid programming, with oldies music throughout the day and on weekends...
, in Greensburg and Jeannette respectively; wishing to own a station closer to his hometown.
WANB Today
WANB has been a simulcast outlet of its FM sister almost entirely since the FM station's debut in 1978. It has never had nighttime power authorization and had experimented with separate programming shortly after both stations moved to its present location at its transmitter. For a couple of years, WANB programmed a format of Southern Gospel and Contemporary Christian music, neither of which were successful, and WANB returned to being a simulcast-only station.WANB has been a proven testing ground for up-and-coming young radio talent that moved on to bigger markets. Former morning DJ Drew Gordon moved on to legendary country music powerhouse Q102
WOWQ
WOWQ is a Country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Dubois, Pennsylvania, serving the Dubois/Punxsutawney/Clearfield area. WOWQ is owned and operated by First Media Radio, LLC.-History:...
in DuBois, Pennsylvania
DuBois, Pennsylvania
DuBois is a city in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the principal city in the DuBois, Pa Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
; and former news director Lori Salva-Houy moved on to field reporting duties at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.
WANB was granted a construction permit in 2006 to move to a lower dial position of 1210 kHz with a power increase to 5,000 watts. The station began broadcasting on its new frequency on December 31, 2009.
External links
- "WANB operating from 1210," http://www.pbrtv.com/blog/entry_1213.php