This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.

While this year marks the 70th Anniversary of the first broadcast on WBVP,  November also happens to be the 25th anniversary of one of the most famous incidents ever to occur in the Beaver County Radio studios.  Things were way different in 1993.  WBVP was paired with sister F.M. radio station called Kiss 106.7 F.M. located across the hallway in the Beaver Falls headquarters.  Carl Anderson was the Program Director and host of the morning show.  Melissa Foxx hosted a mid day program, and a Baden native by the name of Bill Cameron had recently moved back to Beaver County from New England after being hired on to host an evening radio show on WWKS, or Kiss 106.7 F.M.

The recently published book,  Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA.chronicles the days and events that made November of 1993 so memorable:

“Unlike WBVP, which had a very easily identifiable identity, purpose, and target audience, the younger sister station, WWKS,-106.7 F.M., originally WBVP -FM when it started in 1960,  was a harder entity to figure out how it could best fit to the radio world of captivating audience, and advertisers.  Also in contrast to WBVP, WWKS was a giant F.M. station that covered a huge market area that included several counties throughout Western Pennsylvania.  The challenge to make the station relevant to many listeners across a huge geographic area, without alienating anybody, proved to be a tall order. Thus, it was not uncommon for WWKS to switch themes and formats throughout the years to try and find a formula for success. In earlier incarnations, the F.M. behemoth at 106.7 megahertz had treated listeners to news talk programming, classic rock, beautiful music, light contemporary music, live high school sports, and ethnic music shows, among other things.  Another format flip was not going to be that big of a deal. Unless of course, you blend in a publicity stunt that was carried on the national news. Bill Cameron was just the man for the job, too.  A smooth talking baritone, with rock star looks made him the perfect lead actor in an upcoming three day performance in the WWKS main studio at 1316 7th Avenue in Beaver Falls. In addition, Cameron had a disdain for the current station nickname of “Kiss” and its adult oriented music playlist, making him a perfect candidate to play the part of the rebel.  The one who would go against the grain on behalf of the masses to push back station management and ownership once and for all, so that great music could once again be heard.”

The decision to switch formats from  contemporary adult sounding music to hard rock on Kiss 106.7 had been made a few weeks earlier, and initially, all that was planned to kick off the debut of the new music style was to have Bill Cameron, the evening show host,  air a few “teaser” announcements stating that he was mad about having to play the older, more mellow music and that he simply couldn’t take it any more for a day or two before the change would happen.  On November 17, 1993, around 5 P.M., the plan commenced with Cameron’s recorded announcements interspersed throughout the repetitious playing of the Def Leppard hit song “Rock, Rock ‘Till You Drop”.   After setting things up in the stations’ automation system, Cameron put things on auto pilot and went home for the evening, not thinking much of what he had just done.

There was good news and bad news.  Listeners were captivated by Cameron’s rebellious and cryptic announcements.  Calls were beginning to flood into the station wondering what was going on. They believed what they were hearing on the air and perceived that Bill Cameron was actually in the WWKS studio and had forcefully taken control of the radio station.  By 6 A.M. the following day, November 18, 1993, Program Director, Carl Anderson, and General Manager, Jim Harris, realized that the promotion had gone a little too well.  How could the station come back on the air with business as usual and disappoint the throng of concerned listeners by revealing that Cameron wasn’t even in the studio, and it was just a little publicity stunt to announce the new hard rock format?  The two managers quickly decided to turn perception into reality and summonsed Cameron back to the station and then ushered him up a back fire escape into the building under a cloak of secrecy.  Bill Cameron was now going to actually do what he had been promoting on the airwaves a few hours earlier.  Boards were nailed over the studio doorways and the studio was “prepared” to look like an upheaval had taken place. Hundreds of C.D.’s that previously sat on shelves neatly arranged in alphabetical order were now strewn across the floor.  The stage was set, and Cameron was the star.  For the next two days he played the same Def Leppard song over and over again, and ranted vociferously between airings of the popular rock classic tune about anything and everything, but mainly about how he was going to force station management to play better music.  As with any stage and performance, there was also an audience.  Word was getting around about the “mad man who had taken over a radio station”.  People tuned in and listened continuously.  Listeners came from far and near to the Beaver Falls radio station to see for themselves what was happening.  Some of them hoisted food and supplies up to Cameron through an open window.  Local police departments even called the station to offer assistance to help with “the problem”.

By Friday, November 19, 1993, word of Bill Cameron’s takeover had reached far past the borders of Beaver County.  Newspapers and television stations from Pittsburgh were beginning to report on the situation.  The Associated Press picked up on the story and distributed it nationwide.   The Beaver Falls radio stations had never before, or probably since, seen so much attention.

In addition to all the great publicity, there was another benefit.  The studio takeover gave WBVP and WWKS station engineers more time to install new equipment needed to get ready for the format switch, which occurred on Saturday November 20, 1993.  Bill Cameron left his post at the station on Friday afternoon, November 19, 1993, but the on-going playing of “Rock, Rock Till You Drop” continued late into the evening, completing a total of 48 hours that it had been aired. The new hard rock sounding delivery of WWKS was unveiled as “The Force” the following day.  The new format would consist of “Guitar driven current rock with a mix of classic and newer rock artists such as AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Aerosmith and yes, more Def Leppard.”, according to an interview published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on November 20, 1993 with, then radio station General Manager, Jim Harris.

Aside from being able to pull extra long air shifts and generate lots of attention, Bill Cameron has been a great asset to the radio industry and his talents have flourished over the years. He currently serves as the Production Director for iHeart media owned  radio station, WDVE, in Pittsburgh.

70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Abbey Carpet and Floor,  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing,  Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County,  Farmers Building and Savings Bank, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, The Health Huts, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency,  Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins

This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.

Election night is this coming Tuesday, and there are several fascinating races that have captivated Beaver County residents’ interest this year. On election night, November 6th, local people will have many options to view election results almost instantly as they are tabulated, thanks to modern on line, digital technology.  But, it wasn’t always that way. Long before internet browsers, social media sharing and cable television feeds, Beaver County would pull an “all-nighter” with an ear close to the radio to follow election results.  Listeners would focus in with the same anticipation and anxiety of tuning in to a live sports broadcast.  The “blow by blow” commentary would be relayed from  live broadcasts on WBVP and WMBA originating from the Beaver County Courthouse.

One of the announcers that would broadcast live from the Beaver County Courthouse in those olden days of election night coverage, is current Pennsylvania 16th district state representative, Rob Matzie.  Matzie worked for WMBA in the late eighties and early nineties.  In March of this year,  Matzie was interviewed in preparation for the publishing of, Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA.   The following is an excerpt from the book:  “Covering politics usually meant a trip to the Beaver County Courthouse, located on Third street in Beaver.  Prior to internet browsers, Beaver County had Chester Zuhrley. Reporters would gather in the commons area of the courthouse and off and on throughout election night,  According to Rob Matzie, Zuhrley would come bounding up the basement steps, “Every once in a while, you never knew when” said Matzie, and tape pieces of paper on a board with updated results. Heaven forbid you would ask Zuhrley for a second copy or additional information.  He had one sacred piece of paper for all the media to gaze at upon being affixed to the board. So feverish and fast was this system, that Zuhrley donned a headband for the night because for him, this was ‘The Big One”.  This was indeed the big dance for the director of elections in any county prior to online data gathering methods. WBVP and WMBA would always have a couple two or three reporters on scene, hanging out in the courthouse waiting for Zuhrley to deliver the news from a secret room in the basement.   The two competing stations would be set up on opposite sides of the room like two prizefighters set up in their respective corners of the ring getting ready to stage a twelve round heavyweight bout.”

In the early days, election night was one of the few times of the year when WBVP would stay on the air all night.  Prior to the late 1960’s, when station management decided to stay on the air 24 hours a day , The Beaver Falls station would sign off at midnight, but the first Tuesday of November was an exception every year.  Jim Roush is retired these days, but back then, was a young engineer on the staff at WBVP and offered this observation about the special occasion when the transmitter vacuum tubes at WBVP were kept glowing red hot to broadcast  election results all night long.

“We would set up in the courthouse in Beaver and we would broadcast from there, (at) that time it was Jim Ross’ office.  He was the head Commissioner.  And he gave us his office to use and we’d set up our equipment in there. (WBVP show host) Chuck Wilson would come over and he and I would stay on the air all night.”

70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Abbey Carpet and Floor,  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing,  Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County,  Farmers Building and Savings Bank, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, The Health Huts, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency,  Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins

This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948.  To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.

Last week, the term “hotbed of talent” was used to describe Beaver County as it pertained to number of world class broadcasters that spent their childhoods, and began their careers here.  This week we take a look at another superstar that emerged from the Beaver Valley,  Jim Merkel. When one is trying to think about famous people who graduated from Monaca High school, it would be easy to think about sports legends like Pro Basketball players and brothers, Brad and Mickey Davis, and another pro basketball player that matriculated at Monaca, Bill Zopf.  But, we must not stop with just the great athletic achievements that came out of the school which used the Indian as a mascot and is located along the western bank of the Ohio River.  In 1977, the graduating class of Monaca included a young lad who had a voice that would eventually become very  familiar throughout the entire United States.

Jim Merkel grew up listening to WBVP.  According to an interview with Merkel conducted earlier this year, he claimed that his mom would listen to Jim “The Teddy Bear” Reynolds every morning and reflected  back on those days:  “Mom would always have WBVP on in the morning.  Jim Reynolds would be on and I thought it was magic”.  Merkel was so smitten with the radio that he convinced his parents to drive him over to WBVP in Beaver Falls in 1974 as a fifteen year old so that he could apply for a job that had been posted.  While WBVP management at that time thought Merkel was too young and sent him back home without an offer, that visit to WBVP was his first exposure to a world that he would, in time,  conquer.  Eventually Merkel got his driver’s license and was able to drive himself to WMBA in Ambridge just a few years later to interview, and ultimately be hired, for an announcer position that had become available.    

The following is an excerpt from the recently published book  , Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA.  “Jim Merkel recalled that at the time of his hiring at WMBA, in 1978, The top three songs on the charts were: 1. “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees.  2. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees and 3. “If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman.  His point was, this was in the middle of the disco era, and the movie Saturday Night Fever had captivated movie audiences, and radio airwaves, as all three songs were featured in that film. Merkel, along with his bell bottom pants,rayon shirts, sideburns and high heeled shoes, reminiscent of that time period,  joined an announcing staff that included, among others, Norm Jones, Don Vohar, Diane Brown and Chris Shovlin. Steve Conti served as an engineer for WMBA in this era. In addition to his airshift, Merkel would produce high school sports broadcasts back at the station while Shovlin and Bill Fontana called the action on site at local gyms and fields.  Norm Jones was also known as Rick Jones, and later on worked at WBVP and WWKS in the mid 1980’s. Merkel enjoyed getting fish sandwiches “that were as big as your head” from Mim’s Tavern and also heading north on  Duss Avenue to the Eat’N Park, while in Ambridge working at the station, to fetch a bite to eat. Merkel began to get philosophical in a March, 2018 interview for this book. “Radio touches on emotions and emotionally speaking, you (the listener) become connected to the radio like a comfortable pair of shoes”.   Merkel would know, too.   He referred to WMBA as a great place “where you were able to get your chops”, referring to beginner training and experience.  He went on to be a prominent air personality in Pittsburgh on WWSW F.M. , or 3WS for about thirty years before breaking away and working full time at his own company in 2010.  These days, Merkel provides voice over and audio production that can literally be heard on various media outlets all over the world.  . . .  Merkel’s company, Voice Imaging, in fact, provides audio production to radio stations all over the United States.  In addition, his talents find their way into the ears of people in the Caribbean, Beirut, Asia, Canada and other places. . . .  Merkel even does voice over work for the pesky phone telemarketers that use pre recorded messaging.  And yes, Merkel admitted that he has already been called at home on a time or two by himself, as the recorded message on the other end of the line.”  Many of the National Hockey League teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, use Jim Merkel’s voice in team imaging commercials and promotional announcements aired throughout the United States and Canada.

70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by  Abbey Carpet and Floor,  Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing,  Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County,  Farmers Building and Savings Bank, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, The Health Huts, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency,  Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins