WSHH
Encyclopedia
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 (The lower power is due to the antenna being mounted on an extremely high tower in the area). Its transmitter is co-located with NBC television affiliate WPXI
in Pittsburgh
.
, and was a very successful easy listening
station during the 1970s and 1980s. During that time, it adopted the current WSHH call letters and Wish brand, even though it didn't adopt the current adult contemporary format until 1989.
The "Wish 100" brand was assumed in the mid-1970s, at a time when easy listening FM stations, once created out of necessity to meet FCC non-duplication requirements, were starting to become profitable. Mostly automated sister stations of AM outlets, usually Top 40 or adult contemporary, easy listening FM stations were cheap to operate, catering to "at-work" listeners
with little DJ talk between records.
During the 1970s, beautiful music was well represented on Pittsburgh radio. WKJF (93.7) was the leader for many years. It later became WKOI, and finally WJOI in 1974. KDKA-FM (92.9) also played automated beautiful music during the day and classical music at night. It became WPNT in 1979 with beautiful music (no more classical) and live announcers. By the late 1970s, WSHH was the number 2 station behind KDKA-AM. They had a full staff of live announcers. In 1982, Nationwide Communications fired most of the staff replacing them with an automated "live assist" format. John Ford was the last live announcer before the switch.
During Wish's halcyon years, the station had only two announcers for the 24-hour broadcast day...program director and morning announcer Joe Fenn and afternoon announcer Tom Malloy. Both men would work a live four-hour on-air shift, but their pre-recorded voices would be heard for the remaining 8 hours.
Wish was sold in 1984 to its current owner, Renda Broadcasting
Corporation. It was the first major market FM acquisition for company president Anthony F. Renda, who had also owned WIXZ (now WMNY) in suburban McKeesport during the 1970s (he would buy this station back by the end of the 1990s) and had acquired WPXZ and WECZ
in Punxsutawney three years prior to the acquisition of Wish.
The groundwork had been laid for a format change in 1988, when Renda lured legendary Pittsburgh DJ Jack Bogut away from WTAE (now WEAE
) to do mornings. The following year, Wish decided to challenge former easy-listening-turned-soft-adult-contemporary WLTJ
's position as the leading "at-work" radio station.
, as well as the corporate offices for Renda Broadcasting. WSHH transmits from the WPXI-TV broadcast tower atop the former "Television Hill" in the Fineview neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side.
In November 2009, WSHH became the market's only Adult Contemporary outlet licensed in the city due to WLTJ's shift to Hot Adult Contemporary, although rimshot rival WLER-FM
of Butler, Pennsylvania
began copying the playlist sounds of the Fresh stations in New York City
(WWFS) & Detroit (WNIC
), dropping adult top 40 from WLER-FM
.
and The John Tesh Radio Show usually start playing Christmas music first, then the whole station plays Christmas music 24/7. During 2011, WISH started playing it 24/7
on November 15. They, like many other stations, reverted back to regular programming on December 26, the day after Christmas.
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...
based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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 Renda Broadcasting
Renda Broadcasting
Renda Broadcasting is a privately held Pittsburgh-based radio broadcasting company founded by chief executive, Tony Renda.Renda Broadcasting operates stations in Pennsylvania, Florida and Oklahoma.-Stations:Pittsburgh*WSHH 99.7 – Adult contemporary...
, operates at 99.7 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 15.5 kW (The lower power is due to the antenna being mounted on an extremely high tower in the area). Its transmitter is co-located with NBC television affiliate WPXI
WPXI
WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the...
in 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...
.
History
WSHH signed on in 1948 as WJAS-FMWJAS
WJAS is an adult standards radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Renda Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 1320 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts.- The History of 1320 WJAS-AM :...
, and was a very successful easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
station during the 1970s and 1980s. During that time, it adopted the current WSHH call letters and Wish brand, even though it didn't adopt the current adult contemporary format until 1989.
The "Wish 100" brand was assumed in the mid-1970s, at a time when easy listening FM stations, once created out of necessity to meet FCC non-duplication requirements, were starting to become profitable. Mostly automated sister stations of AM outlets, usually Top 40 or adult contemporary, easy listening FM stations were cheap to operate, catering to "at-work" listeners
with little DJ talk between records.
During the 1970s, beautiful music was well represented on Pittsburgh radio. WKJF (93.7) was the leader for many years. It later became WKOI, and finally WJOI in 1974. KDKA-FM (92.9) also played automated beautiful music during the day and classical music at night. It became WPNT in 1979 with beautiful music (no more classical) and live announcers. By the late 1970s, WSHH was the number 2 station behind KDKA-AM. They had a full staff of live announcers. In 1982, Nationwide Communications fired most of the staff replacing them with an automated "live assist" format. John Ford was the last live announcer before the switch.
During Wish's halcyon years, the station had only two announcers for the 24-hour broadcast day...program director and morning announcer Joe Fenn and afternoon announcer Tom Malloy. Both men would work a live four-hour on-air shift, but their pre-recorded voices would be heard for the remaining 8 hours.
Wish was sold in 1984 to its current owner, Renda Broadcasting
Renda Broadcasting
Renda Broadcasting is a privately held Pittsburgh-based radio broadcasting company founded by chief executive, Tony Renda.Renda Broadcasting operates stations in Pennsylvania, Florida and Oklahoma.-Stations:Pittsburgh*WSHH 99.7 – Adult contemporary...
Corporation. It was the first major market FM acquisition for company president Anthony F. Renda, who had also owned WIXZ (now WMNY) in suburban McKeesport during the 1970s (he would buy this station back by the end of the 1990s) and had acquired WPXZ and WECZ
WECZ
WECZ is an American commercially licensed daytime-only radio station, licensed to served the community of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The station operates at 1,540 kilohertz with a maximum power output of 5,000 watts daytime, and 1,000 watts during critical hours...
in Punxsutawney three years prior to the acquisition of Wish.
The groundwork had been laid for a format change in 1988, when Renda lured legendary Pittsburgh DJ Jack Bogut away from WTAE (now WEAE
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...
) to do mornings. The following year, Wish decided to challenge former easy-listening-turned-soft-adult-contemporary 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 :...
's position as the leading "at-work" radio station.
WSHH Today
WSHH runs far ahead in the Pittsburgh Arbitron ratings against WLTJ to this day. In 1997, WSHH moved from its longtime home on Crane Avenue in Greentree to Parrish Street, just off Greentree Road and approximately a mile from the Crane Avenue building. This new building houses WSHH and sister AM stations WMNY and WJASWJAS
WJAS is an adult standards radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Renda Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 1320 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts.- The History of 1320 WJAS-AM :...
, as well as the corporate offices for Renda Broadcasting. WSHH transmits from the WPXI-TV broadcast tower atop the former "Television Hill" in the Fineview neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side.
In November 2009, WSHH became the market's only Adult Contemporary outlet licensed in the city due to WLTJ's shift to Hot Adult Contemporary, although rimshot rival 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...
of 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 :...
began copying the playlist sounds of the Fresh stations in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(WWFS) & Detroit (WNIC
WNIC
WNIC is an American radio station based in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 100.3 MHz FM. WNIC's studios and offices are located in Farmington Hills, MI. WNIC's transmitter is located near Schoolcraft and Livernois Avenue in the City of Detroit on the near west side. WNIC broadcasts with an...
), dropping adult top 40 from 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...
.
Christmas Music
During the Christmas Season, Wish 99.7 plays Christmas themed music. DelilahDelilah
Delilah appears only in the Hebrew bible Book of Judges 16, where she is the "woman in the valley of Sorek" whom Samson loved, and who was his downfall...
and The John Tesh Radio Show usually start playing Christmas music first, then the whole station plays Christmas music 24/7. During 2011, WISH started playing it 24/7
24/7
24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption...
on November 15. They, like many other stations, reverted back to regular programming on December 26, the day after Christmas.