WKST (AM)

Infobox Radio Station
name = WKST


area = New Castle, Pennsylvania / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
branding = NewsRadio 1200 WKST
slogan = News that makes Talk...Talk that makes News
airdate = 1938 (at 1280-AM)
frequency = 1200 (kHz)
format = News/Talk
power = 5,000 watts daytime
1,000 watts nighttime
class = B
owner = Forever Broadcasting, LLC
website = [http://www.wkst.com/ www.wkst.com]
callsign_meaning = NeW C(K)aSTle |Citations missing|article|date=December 2007

WKST is an AM radio station in New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA broadcasting at 1200 kHz with a news/talk format. It is currently owned by Forever Broadcasting, LLC of Altoona, Pennsylvania which also owns 12 other radio stations in Pennsylvania including WJST (AM) in New Castle and WWGY (FM) in Grove City. WKST is the local affiliate for broadcasts of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, Pittsburgh Steelers football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. It also broadcasts Penn State and local high school football and basketball games.

History

WKST has been broadcasting in New Castle for over 70 years, but prior to November 5, 1999 it was at 1280 kHz. WKST signed on the air in 1938. In the 1940s it was a Mutual affiliate. In 1942 Alan Freed landed his first broadcasting job at WKST, before moving on to Cleveland where he is purported to have coined the term "rock and roll." By the 1970s WKST was owned by Faye and Herb Scott, formerly based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and held in the name of Great Scott Broadcasting. Great Scott purchased FM station WFEM in Ellwood City, and it became WKST-FM on January 1, 1988. In the late 1990s, after the death of the Scotts, Great Scott decided to concentrate on its radio holdings in Delaware, and it sold WKST and WKST-FM to Jacor for $2.5 million dollars in December 1998.

Prior to November 5, 1999, the 1200 kHz frequency was occupied by WBZY. WBZY began broadcasting in 1968. In December 1986 WBZY was sold by Lawrence County Broadcasting Corp. to a partnership called WBZY Radio Sam (the "Sam" representing the surname initials of partners Samuel M. Shirey, William G. Andrews and Robert L. McCracken). Andrews sold his share to the other two partners in 1991. WBZY was then sold to Jacor in April 1999 [http://newradiostar.com/NEWS/newsaprilmay1999.htm] for $800,000, and Jacor was purchased by Clear Channel Communications shortly thereafter. Clear Channel, which also owned WKST, switched the call signs in November 1999. The calls of WKST-FM were changed to WJST on October 10, 2000, and WKST-FM call sign was moved to Pittsburgh were it could be used with Clear Channel's KISS-FM brand. In April 2004, Clear Channel announced the sale of WKST along with WBZY and WJST (FM) to Forever Broadcasting for $2.85 million [http://www.business-journal.com/archives/20040412RadioStationsinNewCastlePaSold.asp] . On September 20, 2004, the WJST call sign was moved to 1280 AM, and WJST-FM became WKPL (FM).

chedule

Weekdays

*6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Ken Hlebovy and news from Wade Sutton
*9:00 a.m. to noon: Glenn Beck (from Premiere Radio Networks)
*noon to 3:00 p.m.: Mike Gallagher (from Salem Radio Network)
*3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Sean Hannity (from ABC Radio)

External links

*AMQ|WKST