WISR
Encyclopedia
WISR is a commercial AM
radio station
licensed to Butler, Pennsylvania
. The station was the first to go on the air in Butler County, doing so on September 26, 1941. The station was the very last to be granted a broadcast license before the FCC halted the licensing of any more stations until after World War II
. It has always broadcast on AM 680 with a maximum power output of 250 Watts, non-directional. The station had operated as a daytime-only station until it was granted limited nighttime power in the late 1980s.
) Kittanning.
WISR, like most other small-town stations of its ilk, was a mixture of both programs and music. A popular program was a buy-sell-trade
program called 'The Phone Party', hosted by advertising sales representative Guy Travaglio, who left the station in the 1990's to pursue a career in politics. Midday on-air personality Pat Parker took over the show, which continued until late 2008.
Another popular program was 'The Larry Berg Show', hosted by another advertising sales rep, Larry Berg, who joined WISR after completing a 14-year tenure as owner of then-competitor present-affiliate stations WBUT and WLER-FM
. Berg's show continued until his retirement on February 1, 2001. The show was renamed "It's Your Turn" and today is hosted by morning show host Dave Malarkey.
Most low-powered daytime-only radio stations were granted permission by the FCC to begin limited nighttime power operations in 1988. WISR was one of these stations, and prior to the nighttime authorization, had never used satellite technology on the air, relying on world and national news via UPI
wire service
. After nighttime power was granted, WISR signed an affiliation agreement with CBS news
, introducing satellite technology to its listeners.
, which first signed on the air in 1949.
Prior to the sale, WISR had programmed a format of both talk and adult contemporary music. In an effort to make the three stations compete less with each other, Brandon Communications switched the format from adult contemporary to its present one of MOR and easy listening music.
The station, which had progressed very little in terms of technology up to this point, invested in computerized hard-disk audio, provided by DCS.
WLER-FM evolved out of the former FM license that had been issued to WISR. The station had been originally known as WISR-FM until the Rosenblum ownership returned the license to the FCC, failing to make a go with it in these early years of FM. The license was recovered by WBUT's ownership years later.
Larry Berg, the former owner of competitor WBUT AM/FM from 1964 until 1978, resurfaced at WISR a few years later, where he hosted his own afternoon talk show and sold airtime.
sports. Longtime personalities Dave Malarkey and Pat Parker have each been with WISR for many years, with Malarkey first joining the station in 1973, and Parker in 1988.
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio station
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...
licensed to Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The station was the first to go on the air in Butler County, doing so on September 26, 1941. The station was the very last to be granted a broadcast license before the FCC halted the licensing of any more stations until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It has always broadcast on AM 680 with a maximum power output of 250 Watts, non-directional. The station had operated as a daytime-only station until it was granted limited nighttime power in the late 1980s.
First in Butler County: A Family Affair
WISR was the brainchild of local businessman David Rosenblum, who felt that the community could use a local radio station to promote its community and events. Naming the station after his father, Isaac Samuel Rosenblum, David Rosenblum managed the station and sold airtime, with his wife Georgia keeping the books. The couple continued to operate the radio station until their deaths in the early 1950s. It was at that time that the Rosenblums' son Joel, assumed the operations of WISR. Joel Rosenblum's brother Raymond later owned and managed a station of his own some 25 miles to the east, known as AM 1380 WACB (now WTYMWTYM
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,...
) Kittanning.
WISR, like most other small-town stations of its ilk, was a mixture of both programs and music. A popular program was a buy-sell-trade
Tradio
Tradio is the name given to a type of talk radio show format where listeners call in to buy or sell items. The concept of is analogous to classified ads in local newspapers....
program called 'The Phone Party', hosted by advertising sales representative Guy Travaglio, who left the station in the 1990's to pursue a career in politics. Midday on-air personality Pat Parker took over the show, which continued until late 2008.
Another popular program was 'The Larry Berg Show', hosted by another advertising sales rep, Larry Berg, who joined WISR after completing a 14-year tenure as owner of then-competitor present-affiliate stations WBUT and WLER-FM
WLER-FM
WLER-FM is an Adult Contemporary radio station that officially can be heard in Butler County, Pennsylvania, but can also be heard in parts of northern Allegheny County, including Pittsburgh...
. Berg's show continued until his retirement on February 1, 2001. The show was renamed "It's Your Turn" and today is hosted by morning show host Dave Malarkey.
Most low-powered daytime-only radio stations were granted permission by the FCC to begin limited nighttime power operations in 1988. WISR was one of these stations, and prior to the nighttime authorization, had never used satellite technology on the air, relying on world and national news via UPI
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
wire service
Wire Service
Wire Service is an American drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.-Synopsis:Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans-Globe wire service, which was similar to real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International...
. After nighttime power was granted, WISR signed an affiliation agreement with CBS news
CBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
, introducing satellite technology to its listeners.
1997: Duopoly Sale
Joel Rosenblum continued to operate WISR out of its original studio on North Main Street in downtown Butler until 1997, when he agreed to sell the station to Brandon Communications Systems, Incorporated. That company, headed by Robert C. Brandon and his brother Ronald, was the licensee of WISR's crosstown competitor, WBUT and WLER-FMWLER-FM
WLER-FM is an Adult Contemporary radio station that officially can be heard in Butler County, Pennsylvania, but can also be heard in parts of northern Allegheny County, including Pittsburgh...
, which first signed on the air in 1949.
Prior to the sale, WISR had programmed a format of both talk and adult contemporary music. In an effort to make the three stations compete less with each other, Brandon Communications switched the format from adult contemporary to its present one of MOR and easy listening music.
The station, which had progressed very little in terms of technology up to this point, invested in computerized hard-disk audio, provided by DCS.
WLER-FM evolved out of the former FM license that had been issued to WISR. The station had been originally known as WISR-FM until the Rosenblum ownership returned the license to the FCC, failing to make a go with it in these early years of FM. The license was recovered by WBUT's ownership years later.
Larry Berg, the former owner of competitor WBUT AM/FM from 1964 until 1978, resurfaced at WISR a few years later, where he hosted his own afternoon talk show and sold airtime.
Brandon Ownership Era Ends
Brandon Communications Systems then changed its name to the Butler County Radio Network soon after the acquisition of WISR. A few years later, the Brandon brothers, one by one, sold their interests in the station to the present ownership made up of four local entrepreneurs, but the Butler County Radio Network has remained the name of the licensee. In 2003, WISR moved from its longtime location at 357 North Main Street to its present location on Hollywood Drive in Pullman Commerce Center, located on the south edge of Butler just off Route 8 south. It shares space with WBUT and WLER.WISR Today
WISR, along with WBUT and WLER, has been locally-owned from the very beginning. Its current format is a mixture of news, talk, sports, and nostalgia music, and continues its affiliation with the CBS radio network, which it has maintained since being granted nighttime power. It is also Butler County's exclusive radio home to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, and is the exclusive radio voice of Slippery Rock University football and basketball, and Knoch High SchoolKnoch High School
Knoch High School is located in the South Butler County School District in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania. Athletic teams are known as the Knoch Knights. The Knoch Football team is a co champion of the Greater Allegheny Conference in 2007. The principal is Mr. Frank Moxie. The athletics play in AAA...
sports. Longtime personalities Dave Malarkey and Pat Parker have each been with WISR for many years, with Malarkey first joining the station in 1973, and Parker in 1988.