WCRO
Encyclopedia
WCRO is an American radio station
, operating at 1230 AM in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. The station, owned by the Greater Johnstown School District, programs a nostalgia format provided by the Music of Your Life
network, and simulcasts WJAC-TV
's newcasts from 5 am to 7 am. WCRO broadcasts at the federally-assigned frequency of 1230 kHz, with a full-time power of 1,000 watts.
WCRO's heritage has been built largely on its sameness. Namely, its same call letters, dial position, power output, and even its same studio location at 616 Main Street in downtown Johnstown for almost 50 years until its sale to its present owner. Its transmitter tower sits just below Cover Hill, overlooking downtown Johnstown.
Despite having enjoyed a long prosperous period amid more powerful competitors, WCRO had gone into a decline in the mid-80's, largely because of the collapse of Johnstown's lucrative coal and steel industries, resulting in a domino effect to the local retail economy. At around this time, its full-time airstaff was laid off and replaced with ABC/SMN's "Starstation" adult contemporary format (known today as "Hits and Favorites") also used by neighboring stations WCCS
and WOKW
. Though the reduced operating costs did help the station's fortunes somewhat, a sale from then-owner Tschudy Communications was inevitable to keep the station from falling into bankruptcy.
WCRO was sold in 1991 from longtime owner Earl Judy (Tschudy Communications) to J. Richard Lee, who formed the Eagle Radio Network, making WCRO its flagship station. Lee had purchased two other AM stations north of Johnstown that had recently gone dark
and their studios vacated and assets liquidated through bankruptcy proceedings. Because those stations, WNCC and WRDD, no longer had separate studio buildings or facilities of their own other than their tower sites, they became repeaters for WCRO.
Eagle Radio operated with a format of time-brokered Christian Talk and teaching, and had been successful for about four years, until the FCC approved a series of applications for FM translators and power increases for Christian-formatted competitors on that band. Faced with the prospect of being squeezed out of business by its FM counterparts, Eagle Radio put all three stations up for sale in the mid-1990s.
WNCC and WRDD were sold to Vernal Enterprises of Indiana, Pennsylvania
, which owned WTYM
and low-powered television station WLLS-LP
. A new facility for both WNCC and WRDD was built in WNCC's city of license in Northern Cambria and full-service local programming resumed on those stations.
Vernal Enterprises declined an offer to purchase WCRO, which was then sold to the Greater Johnstown School District in 1997. The station then moved out of its dilapidated building on Main Street and onto the high school campus, with all new digital, state-of-the-art equipment.
format, with local breaks being done by a student airstaff.
Shortly after the turn of the 21st Century, the district hired legendary Pittsburgh on-air personality Ed Sherlock as WCRO station manager. Sherlock, who had owned half of Sherlock-Hart Broadcasting (and eventually bought out partner Neil Hart), had sold his WAMQ-AM (now WWGE
) in Loretto and WBXQ
in Altoona to new owners (though WBXQ has retained the name Sherlock Broadcasting). Having sold airtime in the Johnstown and Altoona radio markets, Sherlock was able to bring his sales experience to WCRO and raise money through the sale of commercials to offset the school district's costs of operating the station. Sherlock was let go by the station in the Fall of 2007.
The pre-game locker room show was conducted by Ryan Tyrrell interviewing Head Coach Bill Cacciotti. Although it was announced that the presentation was live from the locker rooms of the Point Stadium, the show was really taped the day of the game in the bowels of the old Johnstown High School.
The first game broadcast was versus Kittanning at the Point Stadium in Johnstown in 2000.
The first sports victory broadcast did not occur until that following basketball season.
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...
, operating at 1230 AM in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. The station, owned by the Greater Johnstown School District, programs a nostalgia format provided by the Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
network, and simulcasts WJAC-TV
WJAC-TV
WJAC-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Allegheny area of Pennsylvania that is licensed to Johnstown. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 34 from a transmitter northwest of the city in Laurel Ridge State Park along the Cambria and Westmoreland County line....
's newcasts from 5 am to 7 am. WCRO broadcasts at the federally-assigned frequency of 1230 kHz, with a full-time power of 1,000 watts.
History
WCRO has the distinction of retaining the same calls letters since first going on the air in September 1947, and that it has never had a sister FM station co-located with it.WCRO's heritage has been built largely on its sameness. Namely, its same call letters, dial position, power output, and even its same studio location at 616 Main Street in downtown Johnstown for almost 50 years until its sale to its present owner. Its transmitter tower sits just below Cover Hill, overlooking downtown Johnstown.
Despite having enjoyed a long prosperous period amid more powerful competitors, WCRO had gone into a decline in the mid-80's, largely because of the collapse of Johnstown's lucrative coal and steel industries, resulting in a domino effect to the local retail economy. At around this time, its full-time airstaff was laid off and replaced with ABC/SMN's "Starstation" adult contemporary format (known today as "Hits and Favorites") also used by neighboring stations WCCS
WCCS
WCCS is a commercially licensed AM radio station, licensed to Homer City, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and 25 miles northwest of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. WCCS operates at the federally assigned frequency of 1160 kHz with a maximum daytime power output of 10,000 watts, and...
and WOKW
WOKW
WOKW is a commercially licensed FM radio station. It operates on the federally assigned frequency of 102.9 MHz at an effective radiated power of 3,000 Watts. WOKW is licensed to Curwensville, Pennsylvania, but maintains studios and offices in Clearfield....
. Though the reduced operating costs did help the station's fortunes somewhat, a sale from then-owner Tschudy Communications was inevitable to keep the station from falling into bankruptcy.
WCRO was sold in 1991 from longtime owner Earl Judy (Tschudy Communications) to J. Richard Lee, who formed the Eagle Radio Network, making WCRO its flagship station. Lee had purchased two other AM stations north of Johnstown that had recently gone 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...
and their studios vacated and assets liquidated through bankruptcy proceedings. Because those stations, WNCC and WRDD, no longer had separate studio buildings or facilities of their own other than their tower sites, they became repeaters for WCRO.
Eagle Radio operated with a format of time-brokered Christian Talk and teaching, and had been successful for about four years, until the FCC approved a series of applications for FM translators and power increases for Christian-formatted competitors on that band. Faced with the prospect of being squeezed out of business by its FM counterparts, Eagle Radio put all three stations up for sale in the mid-1990s.
WNCC and WRDD were sold to Vernal Enterprises of Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
, which owned WTYM
WTYM
WTYM is a 24 hour commercially licensed AM radio station broadcasting at 1380 kHz with a maximum power output of 1,000 watts, non-directional. The station is wholly owned by Family-Life Media-Com Inc., and its city of license is Kittanning, the seat of government for Armstrong County,...
and low-powered television station WLLS-LP
WLLS-LP
WLLS-LP is a low-power television station in Indiana, Pennsylvania, broadcasting locally on channel 49 and 65 as an affiliate of America One. The station was founded December 24, 1991 by Larry L...
. A new facility for both WNCC and WRDD was built in WNCC's city of license in Northern Cambria and full-service local programming resumed on those stations.
Vernal Enterprises declined an offer to purchase WCRO, which was then sold to the Greater Johnstown School District in 1997. The station then moved out of its dilapidated building on Main Street and onto the high school campus, with all new digital, state-of-the-art equipment.
WCRO today
Not long after WCRO's sale to Greater Johnstown School District, the station adopted Jones' Radio Network's Music of Your LifeMusic of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
format, with local breaks being done by a student airstaff.
Shortly after the turn of the 21st Century, the district hired legendary Pittsburgh on-air personality Ed Sherlock as WCRO station manager. Sherlock, who had owned half of Sherlock-Hart Broadcasting (and eventually bought out partner Neil Hart), had sold his WAMQ-AM (now WWGE
WWGE
WWGE is a commercially licensed AM radio station serving Cambria County, in west central Pennsylvania. WWGE operates at the federally assigned frequency of 1400 kilohertz and a maximum power output of 1,000 watts. Its programing is currently simulcast on Birach Broadcasting Corporation-owned WKGE...
) in Loretto and WBXQ
WBXQ
WBXQ is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to the suburb of Patton, Pennsylvania, it serves the Altoona, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1988 under the call sign WKBE. The station is currently owned by Sherlock Broadcasting...
in Altoona to new owners (though WBXQ has retained the name Sherlock Broadcasting). Having sold airtime in the Johnstown and Altoona radio markets, Sherlock was able to bring his sales experience to WCRO and raise money through the sale of commercials to offset the school district's costs of operating the station. Sherlock was let go by the station in the Fall of 2007.
WCRO Sports
WCRO's Greater Johnstown High School's first sports announcing team consisted of Ed Sherlock (Play by Play), Geoff Boltz (Color Commentator), Ryan Tyrrell (Analysts and Team Correspondent) and Tom McCreery (Spotter and Statistician) during the 2000-01 Football season.The pre-game locker room show was conducted by Ryan Tyrrell interviewing Head Coach Bill Cacciotti. Although it was announced that the presentation was live from the locker rooms of the Point Stadium, the show was really taped the day of the game in the bowels of the old Johnstown High School.
The first game broadcast was versus Kittanning at the Point Stadium in Johnstown in 2000.
The first sports victory broadcast did not occur until that following basketball season.