WERG
Encyclopedia
WERG is an alternative music formatted college radio station
in Erie, Pennsylvania
. The station is owned by Gannon University
. Its transmitter is located in Summit Township
.
Originally located in the basement of the Zurn Science Center, WERG's offices were moved to the now-former Schuster Theatre in 1977. The studio remained in Zurn.
In 1980, Pittsburgh's WTAE AM
donated a Westinghouse
transmitter to the station, allowing Gannon's students to transmit over the air throughout the entire city of Erie. The channel relocated to 89.9 FM.
During much of the 1980s, WERG was known as Rock 89. The station operated a normal weekly rock format and paused on weekends for Super Soul Saturday.
Looking for a new identity to bring in the 1990s and a new modern rock format, WERG changed its on air name to Energy FM 90 on August 29, 1989.
WERG technology improved with the addition of compact disc
players in the studios in 1990.
During the 1990s, WERG played popular modern rock music.
In September 2000, the station's offices and studio were relocated from Schuster Theatre and the Zurn Science Center to the Walker Building.
On June 30, 2005, at 9:50 a.m., WERG flipped its radio dial location from 89.9 to 90.5 FM after Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) approval had been given to relocate the station's 3,000-watt tower to WQLN-FM
.
For 33 hours every weekend, a variety of soul, R&B, gospel, blues, jazz, rap, club and hip-hop music is broadcast on WERG.
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...
in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. The station is owned by Gannon University
Gannon University
Gannon University is a private, co-educational Catholic university offering associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, certificates and doctoral degrees and is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Gannon University has an alumni base numbering around 31,500. Current enrollment is 4,238.Gannon's...
. Its transmitter is located in Summit Township
Summit Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Summit Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,529 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.9 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were...
.
History
WERG began in 1970 after a group of college engineering students wanted to establish a radio station on campus. Rev. Thomas McSweeney assumed the position of faculty advisor for the channel, and in December 1972, WERG hit the air on 89.1 FM.Originally located in the basement of the Zurn Science Center, WERG's offices were moved to the now-former Schuster Theatre in 1977. The studio remained in Zurn.
In 1980, Pittsburgh's WTAE AM
WEAE
WDDZ is an AM radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, broadcasting at 1250 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts. The station is an ABC owned and operated station and serves as the Pittsburgh affiliate of Radio Disney...
donated a Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
transmitter to the station, allowing Gannon's students to transmit over the air throughout the entire city of Erie. The channel relocated to 89.9 FM.
During much of the 1980s, WERG was known as Rock 89. The station operated a normal weekly rock format and paused on weekends for Super Soul Saturday.
Looking for a new identity to bring in the 1990s and a new modern rock format, WERG changed its on air name to Energy FM 90 on August 29, 1989.
WERG technology improved with the addition of compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
players in the studios in 1990.
During the 1990s, WERG played popular modern rock music.
In September 2000, the station's offices and studio were relocated from Schuster Theatre and the Zurn Science Center to the Walker Building.
On June 30, 2005, at 9:50 a.m., WERG flipped its radio dial location from 89.9 to 90.5 FM after Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) approval had been given to relocate the station's 3,000-watt tower to WQLN-FM
WQLN-FM
WQLN-FM is a National Public Radio member station and serves the Erie, Pennsylvania area. Studios are located in Erie.-Repeaters:WQLN-FM also broadcasts from the following 5 translators:-External links:*...
.
Weekday programming
- Sonic Sunrise 7-9 a.m.
- WERG Mid-days 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Afternoon Drive 4-6 p.m.
- WERG Evenings 6 p.m.-Midnight
- WERG Overnite Midnight-7 a.m.
Weekly specialty programs
- The Hott 80's Mondays 9 pm - Midnight
- The Tuesday Top 30 Tuesdays 6-9 pm
- Feedback Wednesdays 9 pm - Midnight.
- The Prime Time Sports Guys Thursdays 6-9 pm
Weekend programming
- Super Soul Saturday from Saturday at 12 a.m. until Sunday at 9 a.m.
- Festa Italiana Sundays 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Potencia Latina Sundays 12-3 p.m.
- The Polka Party Sundays 3-7 p.m.
- Services from the First United Methodist Church of Erie Sundays 7-8 p.m.
- Lino At Large Sundays 8-8:30 p.m.
- Lincoln Radio Journal Sundays 8:30-9 p.m.
Super Soul Saturday
Though Super Soul Saturday has been part of WERG since the beginning, the weekend format block has existed since 1979.For 33 hours every weekend, a variety of soul, R&B, gospel, blues, jazz, rap, club and hip-hop music is broadcast on WERG.
Super Soul Saturday announcers
- Winston "Sony" Ellis (1975), worked at WUFO and WKBW in Buffalo, NYBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
; - Steve Collins (1975), worked 1330 AM WRIEWRIEWRIE is a sports talk formatted radio station known as ESPN Radio AM 1260: The Score in Erie, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station is part of the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Indians Radio Network...
and K104 (WCCK) in Erie before leaving to work at KDIAKDIAKDIA is a radio station in Vallejo, California. It is a separate entity from the station at 1310 AM that held the KDIA call letters for many years. The 1640 AM frequency was licensed as part of an extension of the AM band in 1998, and adopted the abandoned KDIA call letters then.-KDIA 1310...
and KBLXKBLXKBLX-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio station that broadcasts from San Francisco. The station is licensed to Berkeley, California, and is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.-About KBLX:...
in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and Berkley, California - Harry Hairston (1977), worked for WQLN-FMWQLN-FMWQLN-FM is a National Public Radio member station and serves the Erie, Pennsylvania area. Studios are located in Erie.-Repeaters:WQLN-FM also broadcasts from the following 5 translators:-External links:*...
, WSEE 35 and WICU before joining Fox 2WJBKWJBK is the Fox–owned and operated television station in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting on digital channel 7...
in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... - James "Jim Christopher" Eaton, worked at WQLN, 1450 WEYZ, WLVU Stereo 99, Q1400 WBLQ and currently does weekend shifts at WXKCWXKC-History: Beginnings as WLVU:This station first went on the air in 1949 as WLVU, eight years after the debut of its AM sister station, WRIE.For many years until the mid-1980s, this was Erie's heritage easy-listening radio station...
Classy 100 - Several staff members were employed with Q1400 WBLQ in the eighties, including Homer "Lee" Smith, Timmie Mack, Danny "Mr. J" Jones, The Captain, John "Chilly J" Norton, the late Bobby K., and Dorothy Smith
- Mike Carbone (Mike West) joined Super Soul Saturday with broadcast experience at WBLK FM in Buffalo and CING-FMCING-FMCING-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 95.3 FM in Hamilton, Ontario. The station airs a classic hits format branded as Vinyl 95.3.CING was launched in 1976 by Burlington Broadcasting, at 107.9 FM in Burlington, Ontario...
in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, was awarded Top Mix DJ in the US in 1990 by the Westwood One Radio NetworkWestwood OneWestwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
after winning their nationwide Club Mix Competition