106.7 WAMO and Black Radio IS Dead in Pittsburgh, Sheridan Broadcasting Sells
Looks like Pittsburgh's Urban Stations won't have to pay for a Performance Royality Tax; Because there won't be any Urban stations there in a couple of months.
After 36 years of ownership, Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to sell WAMO-FM 106.7 and WAMO-AM 860 to St. Joseph Missions, a religious broadcaster, for $8.9 million. Also included in the package is WPGR-AM 1510, which was acquired by Sheridan in 2001.
106.7 WAMO (FM) is the Hip-Hop and R&B music station in PGH, while WAMO-AM 860 plays a mixture of smooth R&B and classic soul music and is the home base for Pittsburgh native, Bev Smith's talk show. WPGR-AM 1510 plays gospel music.
Did Sheridan Broadcasting decide to sell now, due to the impeding Performance Royalty Tax legislation?
The announcement was made during a full staff meeting on Friday afternoon (May 15) by CEO Ronald Davenport Sr. His son Ronald Davenport, Jr. is President/General Manager of the stations. Sheridan will keep its AURN radio network business in Pittsburgh, but all of the 35 full and part-time employees of WAMO AM/FM and WPGH will exit as the stations are expected to change to some kind of Catholic religious format under new ownership.
Sheridan is the principal owner of the American Urban Radio Networks, which supplies AUN News with White House correspondent April Ryan (the only African-American broadcaster with a bureau in the White House), Black College Sports, "The Bev Smith Show" and the "The Light" Gospel music service to many Black stations across the country.
FCC approval of the sale is expected within the next 90 days.
After 36 years of ownership, Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to sell WAMO-FM 106.7 and WAMO-AM 860 to St. Joseph Missions, a religious broadcaster, for $8.9 million. Also included in the package is WPGR-AM 1510, which was acquired by Sheridan in 2001. 106.7 WAMO (FM) is the Hip-Hop and R&B music station in PGH, while WAMO-AM 860 plays a mixture of smooth R&B and classic soul music and is the home base for Pittsburgh native, Bev Smith's talk show. WPGR-AM 1510 plays gospel music.
Did Sheridan Broadcasting decide to sell now, due to the impeding Performance Royalty Tax legislation?
The announcement was made during a full staff meeting on Friday afternoon (May 15) by CEO Ronald Davenport Sr. His son Ronald Davenport, Jr. is President/General Manager of the stations. Sheridan will keep its AURN radio network business in Pittsburgh, but all of the 35 full and part-time employees of WAMO AM/FM and WPGH will exit as the stations are expected to change to some kind of Catholic religious format under new ownership.
Sheridan is the principal owner of the American Urban Radio Networks, which supplies AUN News with White House correspondent April Ryan (the only African-American broadcaster with a bureau in the White House), Black College Sports, "The Bev Smith Show" and the "The Light" Gospel music service to many Black stations across the country. FCC approval of the sale is expected within the next 90 days.
Sirius Satalite radio is the only way to go. 3 rap stations and 2 soul/r&b stations. No commercials. 10 bucks a month.
ReplyDeleteThere are people in my community that can not afford satalite radio what about us. We can't just get in our cars and go find entertainment let alone have the money to do it. But when we do want to have a good time, we have a party right in our neiborhood and a party ain't a party with out WAMO. My children deserve to hear music with soul, rhythm and blues. They deserve to hear the music mommy and daddy use to get down to. When the older songs come on the radio we talk about the good times we had back in the day. This is out entertainment. And commercials. We need those commercials to build our communitys, find out where to get our hair done and where to go after its done. Where to get some good ribbs, mac&cheese and greens, and where to go to work it off. I love WAMO.Not to mention the Steve Harvey morning show and Bev Smith show. Please, please, PLEASE DON'T. Don't take our culture away from us.
ReplyDeleteThere are people in my community that can not afford satalite radio what about us. We can't just get in our cars and go find entertainment let alone have the money to do it. But when we do want to have a good time, we have a party right in our neiborhood and a party ain't a party with out WAMO. My children deserve to hear music with soul, rhythm and blues. They deserve to hear the music mommy and daddy use to get down to. When the older songs come on the radio we talk about the good times we had back in the day. This is out entertainment. And commercials. We need those commercials to build our communitys, find out where to get our hair done and where to go after its done. Where to get some good ribbs, mac&cheese and greens, and where to go to work it off. I love WAMO.Not to mention the Steve Harvey morning show and Bev Smith show. Please, please, PLEASE DON'T. Don't take our culture away from us.
ReplyDelete