WKZV
Encyclopedia
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.
WKEG featured a full-service format of middle-of-the-road, country
, and polka music. The polka show was hosted by local polka musician Gil Yurus, who joined the station at start-up and remained until financial troubles began in the late 80's.
WKEG maintained its original owner until September 1972, when DiLeLo Broadcasting sold the station to Nascone Enterprises (dba Genas Broadcasting), a company headed by Joseph P. Nascone, the former sales manager of WTAE Radio in Pittsburgh.
Upon acquisition, Joe Nascone changed the station's format to easy listening. Genas Broadcasting operated the station until 1987 when it was purchased by Ferguson Broadcasting.
For many of its early years, the station operated out of a trailer at its transmitter site on McLane Road (now Whitetail Drive), north of downtown Washington, and then to the former George Washington Hotel in downtown Washington.
The station would move in the late 1980s to another studio location at 71 North Main Street in downtown Washington, following its purchase by Ferguson Broadcasting, and then to its current location on East Chestnut Street in 1990.
The third owner, William Ferguson, changed the station's format to adult contemporary
, delivered via satellite through the Transtar Radio Network. The station ended up going dark
in two years.
The station was then purchased by JJG Communications, a company headed by Carmichaels businessman John G. Brodak and John Loeper, the former general manager of WANB
/WANB-FM
in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
.
JJG made another go of the station, this time with a news/talk/sports format, also mostly via satellite. The station failed again, and was off the air by October 1991.
Despite their best efforts and investment in studio overhauls, the station did not prosper. A little over a year later, local Polka musician and disc jockey
Mike Panjuscek and two other investors, Helen and Stanley Supinski bought the station from U.S. North Broadcasting, Inc. in March 1993, and continues to do business today as My-Key Broadcasting.
The new owner discontinued satellite-delivered country music format and hired two local announcers, each working half of the broadcast day. Panjuscek shifted the format to more of a classic country sound, with special emphasis on local country music artists and those on independent record labels (except on the weekends).
Panjuscek died on September 17, 2011. WKZV's future is not yet certain.
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 the Pittsburgh radio market, licensed to Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
. As of February 2009, the station is airing country music.
The WKEG Years
Known then as WKEG, the station was first issued a construction permit in August 1968, signing on October 1, 1970. Among the station's original staff at start-up was general manager Lew Wade, vice president Leo Shank, and chief engineer Richard Canter.WKEG featured a full-service format of middle-of-the-road, 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...
, and polka music. The polka show was hosted by local polka musician Gil Yurus, who joined the station at start-up and remained until financial troubles began in the late 80's.
WKEG maintained its original owner until September 1972, when DiLeLo Broadcasting sold the station to Nascone Enterprises (dba Genas Broadcasting), a company headed by Joseph P. Nascone, the former sales manager of WTAE Radio in Pittsburgh.
Upon acquisition, Joe Nascone changed the station's format to easy listening. Genas Broadcasting operated the station until 1987 when it was purchased by Ferguson Broadcasting.
The third owner, William Ferguson, changed the station's format to adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
, delivered via satellite through the Transtar Radio Network. The station ended up going 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...
in two years.
The station was then purchased by JJG Communications, a company headed by Carmichaels businessman John G. Brodak and John Loeper, the former general manager of WANB
WANB
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....
/WANB-FM
WKVE
-External links:*...
in 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....
.
JJG made another go of the station, this time with a news/talk/sports format, also mostly via satellite. The station failed again, and was off the air by October 1991.
Rebirth as WKZV
The station returned to the air in the spring of 1992, this time with a new set of call letters; WKZV ("KZ Country") and a new owner, U.S. North Broadcasting, Inc.Despite their best efforts and investment in studio overhauls, the station did not prosper. A little over a year later, local Polka musician and disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Mike Panjuscek and two other investors, Helen and Stanley Supinski bought the station from U.S. North Broadcasting, Inc. in March 1993, and continues to do business today as My-Key Broadcasting.
The new owner discontinued satellite-delivered country music format and hired two local announcers, each working half of the broadcast day. Panjuscek shifted the format to more of a classic country sound, with special emphasis on local country music artists and those on independent record labels (except on the weekends).
Sources
External links
- Radio the Old Way...Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05240/560087-58.stm