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| Broadcast area | Pittsburgh metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 102.5MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 102.5 [W]DVE |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Subchannels | HD2:Steelers Nation Radio |
| Affiliations | Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBGG,WKST-FM,WPGB,WWSW-FM,WXDX-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | May 12, 1962 (63 years ago) (1962-05-12) |
Former call signs | KQV-FM (1962–1970)[1] |
Call sign meaning | "Wonderful Dove" |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 59588 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 55,000watts (analog) 1,800watts (digital)[3] |
| HAAT | 250 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°29′38.2″N80°1′8.1″W / 40.493944°N 80.018917°W /40.493944; -80.018917 (WDVE) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | dve.iheart.com |
WDVE (102.5FM) is aclassic rock music-formattedradio station inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania,United States at 102.5MHz. It is often referred to by Pittsburghers as simply "DVE". Itsstudios and offices are located on Abele Rd. inBridgeville next toI-79, along with its sister stations. Its transmitter is located on Pittsburgh's North Side. Since 2006, the station has been the highest-rated radio station in the Pittsburgh market, surpassing longtime market leaderKDKA. The station is currently owned byiHeartMedia, and (along withWBGG) serves as the flagship radio station of thePittsburgh Steelers radio network.
WDVE is designated a superpower station by theFederal Communications Commission. The station'seffective radiated power of 55,000 watts exceeds the maximum limit set by the FCC for a Class B FM radio station.[3]
WDVE usesHD Radio and broadcasts asports format on its HD2 subchannel branded asSteelers Nation Radio.
The radio station signed on the air on December 11, 1946 asKQV-FM and simulcasted then-sister stationKQV.[4] The new programming was a tape service of a freeform rock format entitled "Love", created by ABC official Allen Shaw designed specifically for airing on the 7 FM stations owned by ABC. Shaw changed the format from the automated "Love" format to liveFreeformAOR in 1970. The station's current call letters were chosen in December 1970 at the height of the "hippie" era.[1]
"WDVE" was derived from the word "WonderfulDove", the bird of peace, though the station has never had aneasy listening,Christian contemporary music, orsoft rock format which would soon be more associated with future "Dove"-branded stations likeTampa'sWDUV, orWDVV inWilmington, North Carolina.
In the fall of 1971, Shaw, along with ABC Radio programming executive Bob Henaberry, replaced the freeform rock programming with the very first AOR format, playing only the best cuts from the best selling rock albums with minimal disc jockey talk. WDVE was the most successful FM radio station in Pittsburgh throughout the 1970s. In early print marketing, the phraseRock 'N' Stereo! Pittsburgh's Pure Rock WDVE 102½ FM, The Radio Station, was set in white text against a black oval background surrounded by vivid rainbow like colors. Years later, the logo was rendered in white and yellow with red accents against a black background, generally using the slogan102.5 WDVE Rocks.
Starting in the 1980s, the station started playing theBeat Farmers songHappy Boy every Friday around 3 p.m. at the start of the afternoon drive time shift to signal the end of the work week and the start of the weekend. On Fridays at noon, they air a recording of the bandKISS saying; "Heyyinz guys! It's FRIDAY!!", immediately followed by "Rock and Roll All Nite".
Radio personality andWEBN alum Maxwell Slater "Max" Logan (Ben Bornstein), formerly heard onWMMS,WNCX inCleveland and now onWLUP-FM inChicago as host ofThe Maxwell Show, spent time at WDVE in the mid-1990s.[5]
In addition to its status as flagship station of the Steelers, WDVE served for years as the flagship station of thePittsburgh Penguins (until 2006 when sister stationWXDX-FM became the Penguins' flagship), promoting itself with such oddities as a youngJaromír Jágr reading the morning weather forecast in heavily accented English during his suspension from the NHL.
Because of the station having a largelymale audience, the station refers to fellow iHeartMedia stationsWXDX-FM andWPGB as "brother" stations as opposed to the more commonly used term "sister" station, since WXDX-FM also has a predominantly male audience and all three have younger listeners. In recent years, the station's format has gradually drifted towardsclassic rock, with current releases rarely incorporated into the playlist. Pittsburgh had been without a full-time classic rock station since the flip ofWRRK toadult hits, even though iHeartMedia considers the station as a classic rocker; however, since 2016, WDVE has added more newer rock tracks that were not being played on co-owned WXDX, with the station gradually shifting to a moremainstream rock direction.
Currently, the station air staff consists of morning show hostRandy Baumann, morning news reader Abby Krizner, morning sportscaster Mike Prisuta, morning show comedianBill Crawford, mid-day host Michele Michaels, afternoon and weekend host Chad Tyson, evening host Val Porter, and weekend hosts Russ “Whip” Rose, Frank Cindrich, Cris Winter, and Eric Taylor. Overnights arevoice tracked byWBGG-FM Miami afternoon host Doc Reno.[6] The station was one of the few iHeartRadio stations not affected by the company’s mass layoffs in January 2020.[7]
As of January 2024Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show airs weekdays. The rest of the morning show team are newsreader Abby Krizner, sportscaster Mike Prisuta, and comedianBill Crawford.[8] The show features a variety of comedy skits, musical parodies, and music.
Prior to hosting solo, Baumann was teamed withJim Krenn starting in early 2000. Prior to that, Krenn had been on withScott Paulsen, who along with "News Goddess" Lauri Githens had hosted the morning show from 1986-1988 (after "Little Jimmy" Roach and "Big Steve" Hansen of "The DVE Morning Alternative" were not offered a new contract after their 1980-1986 stint).[9]
On January 18, 2010, the morning show returned to the air withoutRandy Baumann and used the name "DVE Morning Show" (rather than "Jim and Randy and the DVE Morning Show"). Randy Baumann's contract had expired at the beginning of 2010 and he returned to the airwaves on February 17, 2010 after contract negotiations had been settled. The show resumed its previous title "Jim and Randy and the DVE Morning Show".
On December 31, 2011, iHeartMedia (then known as Clear Channel Communications) announced that Jim Krenn would no longer be part of the DVE Morning show but would still be employed at the station. According to a statement made by Dennis Lamme, President and Market Manager of Clear Channel Media & Entertainment-Pittsburgh, "We are currently in discussion with Jim about his role with the station moving forward.".[10] They are again using the name "DVE Morning Show". Krenn's official departure from Clear Channel was announced on January 19, 2012.[8] As of February 23, 2012, WDVE has branded the morning show "Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show".
WDVE broadcasts on its HD2 subchannel dates back to 2006, when the subchannel launched a format focusing on Blues music. In August 2011, HD2 became a 24-hour channel devoted to Steelers coverage, billed as "Steelers Nation Radio."
Matthews replaced Slats with Maxwell, who hosts another personality-driven afternoon show. 'He has been on stations like... WDVEPittsburgh and...WEBNCincinnati...'
At WDVE, Herschel Venezie... resigned his night slot... He was replaced by Max Logan, who came fromWEBN inCincinnati.
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40°29′38″N80°01′08″W / 40.493944°N 80.018917°W /40.493944; -80.018917
