WZUM (AM)
WZUM is a jazz radio station serving the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, market. The station broadcasts on 1550 kHz with a power of 1,000 watts daytime (4 watts at night) from studios in South Park PA, and is licensed to Braddock, Pennsylvania.
| City | Braddock, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Frequency | 1550 kHz |
| Branding | The Pittsburgh Jazz Channel |
| Programming | |
| Format | Jazz (WZUM-FM simulcast) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Pittsburgh Public Media |
| History | |
| First air date | 1947 (as WLOA) |
| Former call signs | WLOA (1947-1982) WHYW (1982-1983) WJLY (1983-1988) WCXJ (1988-2000) WURP (2000-2007) WLFP (2007-2013) |
| Call sign meaning | "Zoom"; a tribute to the former WZUM 1590 Carnegie |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 68903 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 1,000 watts (day) 4 watts (night) |
| Translator(s) | W266CV (101.1 MHz, Braddock) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wyzr.org |
Programming
Before changing to Jazz as WZUM, 1550's programming was provided by a format developed by veteran Pittsburgh radio programmer Clarke Ingram.[1]
Before changing to urban oldies in 2013, WZUM, most of 1550's programming was provided by the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network.
WZUM was the "Flagship Station" of the Woodland Hills Wolverine Football Network. A.W. Gusky Productions produces the broadcasts of Woodland Hills High School football on the station. All of the games are live on WZUM as well as at www.1550wzum.com. Live and archived Woodland Hills High School football broadcasts are available at www.msasports.net.
History
WZUM was the former sister station to WRRK, starting out as WLOA AM and FM. The AM station went through various formats and owners, frequently featuring urban music, before settling in on its current format in 2016.
As WURP, the station, at first, featured an Urban AC format (which began in August 2000), and then, in December 2002, it flipped to "hot talk" with hosts such as The Young Turks, G. Gordon Liddy, Don and Mike, Sporting News Radio, and weekend programming from Air America Radio. WURP also aired the locally produced "UnShow with Jeff Schneider".
Inner City Broadcasting sold the station to BusinessTalkRadio.net in March 2007, and as WLFP, it aired shows from the Lifestyle TalkRadio Network until its sale in May 2013.
AM Guys LLC purchased the station for $14,515 from a SEC receiver appointed to operate it and other assets of the Business Talk Radio Network. AM Guys, headed by Edward DeHart and Stephen Zalenko, had leased the studio and its equipment to Business Talk Radio, and performed sales duties for the company on a contract basis. The purchase was consummated on June 18, 2013.
On June 26, 2013, the station changed its call sign to WZUM (formerly at 1590 AM in Carnegie, Pennsylvania). On July 4, 2013, the station relaunched with an urban oldies format developed by veteran Pittsburgh radio programmer Clarke Ingram.[2]
Effective March 30, 2016, AM Guys LLC sold WZUM to Pittsburgh Public Media for $75,000. On April 2, 2016, WZUM changed their format to a simulcast of jazz-formatted WYZR 88.1 FM Bethany, West Virginia. Since 2017, WZUM AM has been rebroadcast in Pittsburgh on FM translator W266CV at 101.1 FM.[3]
References
External links
- WZUM in the FCC's AM station database
- WZUM on Radio-Locator
- WZUM in Nielsen Audio's AM station database