WLER-FM
Encyclopedia
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
. The station, which is owned by the Butler County Radio Network, operates at 97.7 MHz with an ERP
of 4.6 kw
and is licensed to Butler, Pennsylvania
.
's AM crosstown competitor, WBUT, returning to the air in 1959. The station operated as WBUT-FM for many years until the late 1970s, when the call letters were changed to WLER-FM, and the station began to originate more of its own separate programming, though much of it was done through voice-tracked automation on a 10-inch reel tape-based automation system constructed by owners Bob and Ron Brandon. The station was an adult contemporary formatted station for much of its existence, using music and personalities provided by Concept Productions, based in Roseville, California. The procedure of voice-tracking was a relatively new concept at the time, before becoming standard practice in the late 90's. The presentation of the voice-tracked announcers led many to believe that Steve Tyler, Dave Ware, and Terry Nelson were all on-site. The station simulcast from 6 to 8am during morning drive and during the last three hours of the day before signing off at 10pm.
-oriented approach. Where its two AM affiliate stations tend to serve Butler County, WLER gravitates more towards the suburbs north of Pittsburgh, as well as surrounding communities such as Grove City
, Franklin, Mercer
, Kittanning
, and New Kensington
.
Since the flip of WLTJ
to adult top 40, WLER-FM returned to its adult contemporary format, being the only station in Pittsburgh similar to its WSHH
rival, but becoming similar to Kansas City
's KZPT
in terms of sound. It also carried the Hollywood Confidential show as well. WLER-FM is reported as AC on RadioStationWorld.com.
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...
that officially can be heard in Butler County, Pennsylvania
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, but can also be heard in parts of northern Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, including Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The station, which is owned by the Butler County Radio Network, operates at 97.7 MHz with an ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 4.6 kw
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
and is 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 :...
.
As WISR-FM
WLER-FM's beginnings, like most FM's, were rather humble. The station began as WISR-FM, when the AM license had been issued for those same call letters when the license was first granted in 1941. The ownership at that time, Butler Broadcasting Company, chose to turn the license back to the FCC after having the FM license failed to make any kind of an impact financially.As WBUT-FM
However, the license was recovered years later by WISRWISR
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...
's AM crosstown competitor, WBUT, returning to the air in 1959. The station operated as WBUT-FM for many years until the late 1970s, when the call letters were changed to WLER-FM, and the station began to originate more of its own separate programming, though much of it was done through voice-tracked automation on a 10-inch reel tape-based automation system constructed by owners Bob and Ron Brandon. The station was an adult contemporary formatted station for much of its existence, using music and personalities provided by Concept Productions, based in Roseville, California. The procedure of voice-tracking was a relatively new concept at the time, before becoming standard practice in the late 90's. The presentation of the voice-tracked announcers led many to believe that Steve Tyler, Dave Ware, and Terry Nelson were all on-site. The station simulcast from 6 to 8am during morning drive and during the last three hours of the day before signing off at 10pm.
As WLER-FM
WLER saw its biggest change in the spring of 2006, when the WBUT simulcast ended and the station began to take on a more Adult CHR (Top 40)Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
-oriented approach. Where its two AM affiliate stations tend to serve Butler County, WLER gravitates more towards the suburbs north of Pittsburgh, as well as surrounding communities such as Grove City
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, approximately north of Pittsburgh. It is the home of Grove City College, a private conservative Christian liberal arts college; General Electric; Instron; USIS; George G. Howe Co.; and a number of small businesses. It is also the home to...
, Franklin, Mercer
Mercer, Pennsylvania
Mercer is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,391 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mercer County. Mercer is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Kittanning
Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
, and New Kensington
New Kensington, Pennsylvania
New Kensington is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania situated along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 14,701 at the 2000 Census. The mayor of New Kensington is Tom Guzzo , elected in 2009. He succeeded Mayor Frank E. Link , elected in 2001.-History:New...
.
Since the flip of WLTJ
WLTJ
WLTJ , is an Hot Adult Contemporary music format radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station, which is owned by Steel City Media, broadcasts with an ERP of 43 kW. Its transmitter is located in Pittsburgh.- History :...
to adult top 40, WLER-FM returned to its adult contemporary format, being the only station in Pittsburgh similar to its WSHH
WSHH
WSHH is an adult contemporary radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station, which is owned by Renda Broadcasting, operates at 99.7 MHz with an ERP of 15.5 kW...
rival, but becoming similar to Kansas City
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
's KZPT
KZPT
KQTH is a news/talk radio station in Tucson, Arizona. 104-1, as it is known by listeners, is branded as "The Truth". KQTH is owned by Journal Broadcast Group....
in terms of sound. It also carried the Hollywood Confidential show as well. WLER-FM is reported as AC on RadioStationWorld.com.