- WSSP
Infobox Radio station
name = WSSP
city =Milwaukee, Wisconsin
area =Milwaukee, Wisconsin
branding = "SportsRadio 1250 WSSP"
slogan =
airdate =1940 s
frequency = 1250 kHz
format =sports radio
power = 5,000watt s
erp =
class = B
sister_stations =WMYX ,WXSS
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WMAW, WCAN, WEMP
owner =Entercom
webcast =
website = [http://www.sportsradio1250.com/]
affiliations =Fox Sports Radio WSSP (1250 AM) is a Milwaukee-based sports talk station owned by
Entercom .WSSP is the secondary home station for any
play-by-play sports coverage onWTMJ-AM (620) which conflicts with another event; for instance theMilwaukee Bucks air on WSSP if aMilwaukee Brewers game airs. If aGreen Bay Packers game airs at the same time as a Brewers game, the Brewers game air on WSSP. Packers games are almost without exception first priority and never pre-empted on WTMJ except in playoff situations for the other teams depending on how far either team advanced. Since September 2008 however, the secondary rights for Brewers games have moved to WTMJ's FM sisterWKTI (94.5).WSSP is also the play-by-play home of
Milwaukee Admirals Hockey.Syndicated programming includes
Fox Sports Radio ,The Jim Rome Show andCostas on the Radio .Early History
The 1250 facility went on the air as WMAW in the mid-late 1940s, but soon changed calls to WCAN. Station owner Lou Poller eventually started an early UHF television, a CBS affiliate on Channel 25 for several years before CBS itself purchased a rival UHF facility. Poller ended up selling the 1250 AM license to the owners of WEMP, which had been operating as a 250-watt signal on 1340 AM. The new owners moved the WEMP call sign to 1250 AM, where it stayed for many years afterward. The station at 1340 AM became WRIT. [http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0058/t.377.html]
Over the years, WEMP aired a variety of formats, including
Top 40 ,Country music andadult contemporary . In the 1980s, WEMP became Milwaukee's first oldies station, featuring personalities such as John Gardner, Dick Alpert and Ernie Bottom. During the 1990s WEMP ranWestwood One 's oldies format with Gardner doing the morning drive. In August 1998 WEMP switched format to brokered religious/Christian AC, still under the WEMP calls. This format continued until WSSP launched in December 2004.The station launched the all-sports format on
January 1 ,2005 and stunted using Bobby Bear's "Drop Kick Me Jesus Through The Goalposts of Life." Longtime area broadcaster Chuck Garbedian anchored the morning show with Chicago native Johnny Vonn. Veteran sports talk show host Peter Brown was tabbed to do afternoon drive.Changes
In late 2006, the station underwent a period of change. Program Director Chip Ramsey, who had been with the station since it signed on in the sports format, was released on August 9th, 2006. His successor,
Ryan Maguire , directed a series of massive moves soon after. Weekday afternoon talk show host Peter Brown was released by the station onDecember 7 ,2006 . Mid-day hostsCliff Saunders andGary Ellerson were moved into Brown's slot. Morning show host Chuck Garbedian was let go in early January 2007. He was replaced by formerWTMJ-AM andSporting News Radio personalityDoug Russell , a Milwaukee native. The station also acquired the rights toUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison Hockey games and coaches shows.Mike Wickett , who worked closely with Maguire when both were on the air atWTKA inAnn Arbor, MI , was hired to co-host mornings with Russell.Steve Fifer was tabbed to host mid-days from 9a-11a.In June 2007, the station acquired the rights to
Milwaukee Admirals Hockey, taking them away from cross-town rivalWAUK -AM.In September 2008, the station modified its lineup using existing hosts in new positions. Cliff Saunders was moved into the morning slot after Doug Russell and Mike Wickett. Gary Ellerson stayed in the afternoon drive slot where he is joined by Josh Vernier and former morning host Steve Fifer as part of the "Big Show".
External links
* [http://www.sportsradio1250.com/ WSSP Sportsradio 1250 Official Site]
*AMQ|WSSP
*AML|WSSP
*AMARB|WSSP
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