WNTW (AM)
Encyclopedia
WNTW is an American radio station
, licensed to serve Somerset, Pennsylvania
; the seat of government for Somerset County
. The station broadcasts on a frequency of 990 kHz and a maximum output power of 10,000 watts, using a two-tower directional antenna system. The station operates as a simulcast with WNTJ
(1490 AM).
. WVSC was joined by an FM sister station, WVSC-FM, on June 15, 1966.
WVSC managed to survive an aggressive new AM competitor, WADJ
, which came on the air in 1981. That same year, Ridge Communications decided to expand their footprint by successfully applying for a license for a new AM station northwest of Somerset in Indiana County. However, Ridge was unable to raise the capital necessary to put the new WRID (which stood for RIDge Communications) AM 1520 in Homer City
on the air, and the construction permit and license were sold to the newly-formed Raymark Broadcasting, of Indiana. That station is known today as WCCS
, which coincidentally was the original call letters for competing station WCCL
, which had given up the WCCS call letters for WWZE.
In the mid-1980s, WVSC, which had been a daytime-only station for many years, successfully petitioned the FCC for limited nighttime power. WVSC began operating at 75 watts at night by the end of the decade.
in Johnstown.
for $230,000. That sale was completed on April 10, 2008. As the sale included only the transmitting facility and license but not the programming or format, Forever Broadcasting moved the WNTJ format and call letters to the former WPRR at AM 1490 (which, ironically, was the original frequency of WNTJ). That station was owned by 2510 Licenses LLC but operated by Forever Broadcasting through a local marketing agreement
until Forever Broadcasting reacquired the frequency outright at the end of April 2011. As such, the simulcast between WNTW and WNTJ continues to this day.
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 serve Somerset, Pennsylvania
Somerset, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,762 people, 3,035 households, and 1,717 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,466.0 people per square mile . There were 3,313 housing units at an average density of 1,208.2 per square mile...
; the seat of government for Somerset County
Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Somerset County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 77,742. Somerset County was created on April 17, 1795, from part of Bedford County and named for Somerset, United Kingdom. Its county seat is Somerset. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania,...
. The station broadcasts on a frequency of 990 kHz and a maximum output power of 10,000 watts, using a two-tower directional antenna system. The station operates as a simulcast with WNTJ
WNTJ
WKGE is an American AM radio station licensed to broadcast on 850 kHz at 10 kW day and night, serving the community of Johnstown, Pennsylvania...
(1490 AM).
History: Beginnings as WVSC-AM
The very first radio station in Somerset County, this station signed on as WVSC on January 15, 1951. The call letters stood for an acronym of "We're the Voice of Somerset County. The station for many years programmed a full-service format of news, sports, and talk, much of it local. The station was also the longtime local voice of ABC News, including the legendary Paul HarveyPaul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt , better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at...
. WVSC was joined by an FM sister station, WVSC-FM, on June 15, 1966.
Purchase by Ridge Communications
On May 11, 1970, WVSC-AM/FM was purchased by Ridge Communications, headed by I. Richard Adams. It would be under Ridge Communications' ownership that WVSC would see its biggest growth.WVSC managed to survive an aggressive new AM competitor, WADJ
WBHV (AM)
WBHV is an American radio station, licensed to the community of Somerset, Pennsylvania. The station is licensed to operate at 1330 kHz, with a daytime power of 5,000 watts, and a nighttime power of 35 watts...
, which came on the air in 1981. That same year, Ridge Communications decided to expand their footprint by successfully applying for a license for a new AM station northwest of Somerset in Indiana County. However, Ridge was unable to raise the capital necessary to put the new WRID (which stood for RIDge Communications) AM 1520 in Homer City
Homer City, Pennsylvania
Homer City is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,844 at the 2000 census. The Homer City Generating Station is located outside of Homer City but it takes its name from the borough. Homer City is located in the Indiana metro area...
on the air, and the construction permit and license were sold to the newly-formed Raymark Broadcasting, of Indiana. That station is known today as 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...
, which coincidentally was the original call letters for competing station WCCL
WCCL
WCCL is an American radio station physically located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania located at 101.7 FM, but licensed to the community of Central City, Pennsylvania. The oldies formatted station is the radio home for Motown, Soul and Rock and Roll. The station is owned by the Results Radio...
, which had given up the WCCS call letters for WWZE.
In the mid-1980s, WVSC, which had been a daytime-only station for many years, successfully petitioned the FCC for limited nighttime power. WVSC began operating at 75 watts at night by the end of the decade.
Sale to Forever Broadcasting
In 1997, Ridge Communications decided to sell WVSC-AM/FM to Forever Broadcasting of Altoona, which had been looking for an FM property to expand its popular "Froggy" branded country music format to the Johnstown area. WVSC remained the same, while WVSC-FM took on new call letters and the country format and became known as "Froggy 98", the same moniker as its flagship station in Altoona. In 2004, WVSC gave up the final trace of its historic call sign when it began simulcasting the news/talk/sports format of its sister operation, WNTJWNTJ
WKGE is an American AM radio station licensed to broadcast on 850 kHz at 10 kW day and night, serving the community of Johnstown, Pennsylvania...
in Johnstown.
WNTW Today
WNTW continues to operate under the news/talk/sports format. However, the simulcast was expected to end by the end of 2007, as Forever Broadcasting agreed to sell WNTJ's AM 850 signal (which now bears the WKGE callsign) to Michigan-based Birach Broadcasting CorporationBirach Broadcasting Corporation
Birach Broadcasting Corporation is a Southfield, Michigan-based company that owns several AM radio stations and one low-power television station in the US....
for $230,000. That sale was completed on April 10, 2008. As the sale included only the transmitting facility and license but not the programming or format, Forever Broadcasting moved the WNTJ format and call letters to the former WPRR at AM 1490 (which, ironically, was the original frequency of WNTJ). That station was owned by 2510 Licenses LLC but operated by Forever Broadcasting through a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
until Forever Broadcasting reacquired the frequency outright at the end of April 2011. As such, the simulcast between WNTW and WNTJ continues to this day.