 | |
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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Altoona |
| Frequency | 1290kHz |
| Branding | Pop! Radio 92.1 and 104.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Top 40–CHR |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WALY,WFGY,WQWY,WRKY-FM,WTNA | |
| History | |
First air date | October 30, 1924; 101 years ago (1924-10-30) |
Call sign meaning | Randomly assigned from sequential list.[1] |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 38269 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 40°27′20.00″N78°23′50.00″W / 40.4555556°N 78.3972222°W /40.4555556; -78.3972222 |
| Translator | 104.5 W283DI (Altoona) |
| Repeater | 92.1 WJHT (Johnstown) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | mypopradio |
WFBG (1290AM) is aradio station broadcasting aTop 40/CHRradio format inAltoona, Pennsylvania. It transmits with 5,000watts during the day, and 1,000 watts at night. WFBG's programming is also heard on 92.1WJHT inJohnstown.
WFBG was first licensed on July 23, 1924, to the William F. Gable Co., owner of Gable's department store on 11th Avenue in Altoona, for 100watts on 1150kHz. The call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential list.[1]
Later that year the station moved to 1080 kHz,[3] and as of the end of 1926 was reported to be on 1070 kHz.[4]
Following the establishment of theFederal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927,[5] which moved the station back to 1080 kHz, which later that year was changed to 1120 kHz. In addition, stations were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.[6]
On May 25, 1928, the FRC issuedGeneral Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WFBG, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[7] However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.
On November 11, 1928, the FRC made a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation of itsGeneral Order 40. WFBG was assigned to 1310 kHz, sharing the frequency with stationWHBP in Johnstown.[8] In 1939, WFBG was authorized to start operating for unlimited hours, after its former timeshare partner, now WJAC, moved to 1370 kHz. On March 29, 1941, a second major reallocation, part of the implementation of theNorth American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, resulted in most stations on 1310 kHz, including WFBG, moving to 1340 kHz. In 1962, the station moved to 1290 kHz.
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WFBG was known as "The Voice of the Alleghenies". It was a very influential and top-rated station, the biggest station betweenPhiladelphia andPittsburgh. In the 1960s, the station had a Top 40 format. At the time, theMorning Mayor, as he was called, was Big John Riley, working from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Dick Richards followed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dan Resh did the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. shift and Dick DiAndrea owned the night from 7 p.m. to midnight. DiAndrea also hosted a very popular Bandstand program on dual CBS/ABC (now primary CBS) station WFBG-TV (nowWTAJ-TV). Weekends on the radio were handled by Bill Bukowski (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Bob Witten (4p to midnight). The news team included Del Smith, Charles Ritchey, and Bob Witten. The station was purchased byTriangle Publications underWalter Annenberg in Philadelphia. General Manager was John Stilli, Program Director; Jim VanDeVelde; News Director, Lantz Hoffman. It was grouped with WFBG-FM and its television station WFBG-TV. Both stations were located on 6th Avenue in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
On October 12, 2022, Forever Media announced it would sell thirty-four stations and twelve translators, including WFBG and the entire Altoona station cluster, toState College-based Seven Mountains Media for $17.3 million.[10] The deal closed on January 1, 2023.[11]
On March 21, 2023, at 4:30 p.m., WFBG dropped its news/talk format andstunting with a loop of "Pop" byNSYNC, while promoting a change to come March 24 at 10 a.m.; at that time, WFBG assumedWWOT'sTop 40/CHR format as "Pop! 104.5 FM".[12] The first song on "Pop" wasI'm Good (Blue) byDavid Guetta andBebe Rexha.