The Titusville Herald reported Thursday that WGYY-FM (100.3) and WGYI-FM (98.5) have suffered their second loss in less than a year. Program Director and midday host Ron Smith died Thursday of heart failure. The 49-year-old had been with the Froggy stations for a little over three years where he was known as "James Pond" and spent over three decades in the business. Smith's death is the second death the station has seen this year after the death of Karie Shields back in May.

On Friday, WWCB-AM (1370) relaunched itself as "Cool 1370" WHYP-AM and is programmed by Joe Vilkie of Vilkie Communications. The format is said to be similar to Linesville-licensed WMVL (101.7)

The 88.7 license was granted in 1981.

The Lashes currently operate 89.3 WYNS radio in Waynesville, OH and have owned and built stations in PA, Tennessee and Florida. Chris Lash is a 32 year veteran broadcaster, and will be the General Manager of the two new properties.  Other current staff members will stay in place at the stations.  1570 WANR will remain Fox Sports Radio 1570 and continue its rich tradition of local high school sports. 

On Wednesday, September 1st, Lash debuted a new format on WRTK.  The new 1540 The Farm features classic country favorites from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  “My family are all farmers in and around Pittsburgh, so the format and name came from my many days working along side my cousins, and uncles, while listening to the radio in the barn” said Lash.  Currently there are no stations in there Youngstown-Warren radio market with the format. 

The new 1540 The Farm will also feature live web streaming 24/7 of the format at www.youngstownscountrylegends.com.  WRTK is a daytime only station, signing on at sunrise, and off at sunset.  The 24/7 streaming will allow listeners to enjoy the format, even when the station is off air.  Lash will serve as the station’s morning man, and more local talent will be added shortly.  The Lashes renovated the old WRTK studios in Mineral Ridge, and will move both stations to that location shortly.  “These stations have a rich radio history.  And it is my goal to return them to their former glory.  It's what I do, it's what I’ve done in my career.” added Lash.  The two new Whiplash Radio stations are the only independent stations in the Youngstown-Warren market.

The managing editor for the website is former WTAE-TV (4) anchor, Scott Baker. Baker was let go from channel 4 in 2006. In 2007 he became co-founder, co-editor and Chief Operating Officer of Breitbart.tv until recently. Baker is still a principal at Hot Metal Media here in Pittsburgh where he co-hosts and produces The B-Cast with Liz Stephan.

Daniels recently hosted after a midweek game versus the Florida Marlins. The show is regularly hosted by Rocco DeMaro throughout the baseball season. Daniels "tips his cap" to WPGB Program Director Jay Bohannon for giving him the opportunity to be a part of the highly-rated program. Meanwhile, Daniels also continues in his role in charge of operations at Broadcast Communications, Inc. North Versailles location as well as assistant program director for two of that company's stations, 620 KHB and 770 KFB.

Earlier this week, the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy nominations were announced and Pittsburgh has 44 this year. That's up from 25 last year. WPXI, WTAE and KDKA entered as organizations this year but WQED held back due to financial constraints, but allowed employees to enter on their own. Totals for each station are WQED - 16 nods; KDKA - 14 nods; WPXI - 8 nods; and WTAE - 6 nods. Complete list here.

Currently WANR is a Fox Sports affiliate and WRTK is a simulcast.

Lash is currently morning show host of WYNS-FM (89.3), a station he calles "Hybrid FM" in Waynesville, Ohio - a community station owned by Spryex Communications. He has also worked at several stations in the Pittsburgh region including owning and building WFSJ-FM (103.7) in Indiana PA from the ground up.

Meanwhile, Rosenblum says the 3 remaining Beacon stations are under negotiation with a potential buyer.

Editor's Note: Chris Lash once served as a correspondent for PBRTV.com covering the Central Pennsylvania region.

A complete list - including "Callsigns That Aren't There Anymore" at radio-info.com.

It was in 1975 that Mr. King took a job at Duquesne University where he served as sports information director, publicity director for the Eastern Eight (now Atlantic 10) Conference and coached the school's men's golf team. He still got behind the microphone as the color commentator for Duquesne's men's basketbal games for two decades. King retired in 1992.

Just last year, King's book titled, "Happiness is Like a Cur Dog: The Thirty-Year Journey of a Major Leage Baseball Pitcher and Broadcaster" was released.

Source: PG

Meanwhile, down in Mercer County, Cumulus has long been attempting to move Mercer-licensed WWIZ-FM (103.9) closer to Youngstown. The latest attempt was in 2007 when they applied to change the CoL from Mercer to West Middlesex. But the application was against FCC rules barring CoL changes for clusters grandfathered over ownership limits. But in 2008, with the help of DC communications lawyers, Cumulus redrew the boundaries of the Youngstown market leaving out several outlying stations. A two-year waiting period went into effect and in January of this year, the company reapplied for a CoL change to West Middlesex. The move was granted last week. The studios will not be moving, but Fybush expects an application to be filed to move the transmitter across the Ohio/Pennsylvania line.

Beginning November 1, each evening's program will have a different theme. Mondays: "Experience" wil be a regional version of PBS' "American Experience. Tuesdays: "Horizons" replaces "Black Horizons" and will cover issues surrounding all of the ethnic and cultural groups in the region. Wednesday: "It's Pittsburgh and a Lot of Other Stuff" hosted by Rick Sebak. Thursday: "Pittsburgh 360" will study health, science, education, etc. Friday: "4802" will feature journalists and newsmakers talking about the issues of the day. 4802 is the street number for WQED on Fifth Avenue.

On Saturdays at 10:00 p.m., a 60-minute program called "Filmmakers' Corner" will air to showcase independent films by area filmmakers. 

Chris Moore, Michael Bartley and Tonia Caruso will still be a part of some of the programs. Moore will host "Horizons" while Bartley and Caruso will host "Pittsburgh 360". All three will moderate the "4802" program.

The end of "Black Horizons" is the end of an era locally and nationally. The program went on the air in 1968 as what could have been the first public affairs program devoted to the African-American issues. WQED is changing the program to fit the times and to encompass more cultural traditions. Meanwhile, the station is seeking ways to archive past episodes of the program for on-demand and online viewing.

"It's Pittsburgh and a Lot of Other Stuff" is an opportunity for Sebak to be able to tell more stories about the region in a shorter format than the normal documentaries he has produced.

"One thing audiences have asked for is more long-form storytelling and segments," said Darryl Ford Williams to the Post-Gazette, "We never had the structure or resources to do half-hour documentaries with the frequency we do now."

This is where you click "MORE" to read more...

• Let's talk WWVA briefly...
  • How long will it be before the towers are back in place? Who knows.
  • Will the Blaw-Knox type tower be used again? Some speculate not.
  • Some of WWVA's Clear Channel sisters were affected by that storm too - WKWK-FM (97.3) and WOVK-FM (98.7) were knocked off the air when the main transmission tower was also "bent" in Wednesday's storm. Both are back on the air in various degrees of power.
  • This tower site has been considered a tourist destination, and from pictures we've seen, we can understand why.
  • Thanks to Jason Reighard who has gone over, above and beyond the call of duty to keep us informed of WWVA's ups and downs since the storm on our Facebook page.
• The other day, KDKA-FM announced that it would be broadcasting NFL evening games supplied by Westwood One. That includes "The Big Game" (which most of us know as the "Super Bowl"). Did anyone notice that KQV-AM will also carry "The Big Game"?
• Speaking of KDKA-FM... Stop placing bets as to when you'll hear Christmas music on 93.7. No offense to you, but I would be very surprised if the format changes in the next year. Yes, I have read the ratings...
• Speaking of KDKA-AM... How will they celebrate their 90th anniversary this year? How about ressurrecting some of the old jingles which would compliment the current jingle package nicely?!
• One question came to me recently as to the whereabouts of Scott Baker - the former WTAE-TV anchor. Well here he is shortly after his being let-go from 4 in 2006. But since that time, Scott has been the co-anchor of "The B-cast" a webcast held on at Breitbart.tv.
• Is TV relying on Social Networking Media to verify its existence? Using Facebook the most is WTAE - including during the broadcasts. WPXI is a close second and KDKA-TV uses it least near as I can tell.
• Yes. PBRTV uses Facebook and Twitter too. You're free to join us.
• It appears that Rob Owen's job has changed for the Post-Gazette. In one of his recent "Q&A" online postings (now on his blog), he said something to the effect that he's no longer a P-G staffer, but will continue to write for the paper and the "TV Week" that you get each Sunday. (And, for what it's worth, he uses Facebook and Twitter too!)
• Now let me conclude by asking something personal...
  • What will it take to get some donations so that PBRTV can continue?