Local radio listeners may have been surprised this week to tune in and find some of their favorite stations missing or broadcasting on different signals.
The State College area radio market is undergoing a bit of a shakeup following Seven Mountains Media’s $17.375 million purchase of 34 Forever Media stations in Pennsylvania. The acquisition, along with the transfer of four Seven Mountains stations to Covenant Communications, have resulted in mergers of several similarly formatted stations, moves to new signals and retirements.
Among the changes is the retirement of State College’s ESPN Radio 1450 AM and 103.7 FM. Sports programming, including live Penn State sports and coaches shows and Pittsburgh Steelers football, will continue across multiple stations, with a full schedule available online. Joe Wowk, State College market manager for Seven Mountains Media, said he could not yet confirm if other sports programming will continue.
Wowk noted that Forever Media’s two biggest brands — classic rock station 99.5 The Bus WBUS and Big Froggy 101.1 WFGE — remain unchanged.
“Really what listeners can expect is the best that State College had in radio now literally coming together, just in a few different signals, but it’s all still here,” Wowk said. “The biggest brands that people were listening to are all still going to be here.”
Current on-air talent also will remain intact, Wowk said.
“In terms of who is on the air, the same staff is going to be on the Bus,” he said. “The same staff, including additions, will be coming on to Froggy. For a couple of the other brands the local talent are staying here within our company just under different assignments and different opportunities to help them further continue to grow their careers. It’s been pretty well received.”
Listeners can find a guide to where stations are now located at 7mmstatecollege.com, but here’s a rundown of all the moves:
• Contemporary hits B94.5 WBHV-FM will relaunch under Seven Mountains “Pop” branding at 10 a.m. Friday on 1390 and 93.3.
• Adult contemporary 95.3 3WZ WZWW moved to 93.7 WMAJ, replacing the similarly formatted formatted Majic 93.7. The Majic 93.7 brand will be retired
• Classic hits 97.1 WOWY moved to 103.1 where it merged with the similarly formatted Happy 103.1 WAPY. The Happy 103.1 brand will be retired.
• Classic country Bigfoot Legends 98.7 WLEJ replaces ESPN 1450 on 1450 and 103.7 and replaces Lightner Communications’ variety hits 104.3 Jack-FM on 1260 WPHB /104.3 W282CV State College. The ESPN 1450 brand will be retired.
• News/talk 1390 WRSC/93.3 moved to 95.3 under the WRSC-FM call letters.
Lightner Communications is assuming operations of the WRSC brand on 95.3. According to Radio Insight, Covenant is expected to divest 94.5 WBHV-FM, 97.1 WOWY and 98.7 WLEJ.
Seven Mountains Media’s acquisition of the Forever Media stations was completed on Tuesday after FCC approvals were granted in December, Wowk said. State College was the only market involved to see major changes.
“While there may be some adjustments in other places that go on in the different markets with Forever, here in State College is the only place we had to really be a little more sensitive and creative given the fact that we had stations here and they had stations here,” Wowk said. “This was just a little bit of a different challenge in the process.”
