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.

Don Kennedy was from Beaver and is one of the many WBVP personalities through the years that also graduated from Geneva College.  The following  excerpt is  from the forthcoming book “Behind the Microphone – The History Of Radio In Beaver County ”  and is about Don Kennedy and his days at WBVP:

“The evenings on WBVP would feature Beaver native Don Kennedy with music selections that included a classical music hour from nine until ten and a segment entitled “Day Is Done”, which aired during the final hour of broadcast and included popular music and poetry readings, among other things. Kennedy traditionally ended his show, and the day at WBVP, with the song “I’ll See You In My Dreams” and a extending a good night greeting over the airwaves just before sign off at Midnight.  Alan Boal alternated on occasion with Kennedy in the evening time slot as well. ” 

In 1951, although Geneva College was still sixteen years  away from having it’s own student run radio station, which would eventually go by the call letters of WGEV, Don Kennedy played a prominent part in  furthering educational opportunities for other students at the time.  Kae Kirkwood, archival Librarian at the McCartney Library at Geneva College, reports the following about about Don Kennedy from an an archive posting from February of that year:  “A radio studio is set up in the annex behind Alumni Hall. Student Donald Kennedy, a radio announcer with WBVP, has built a complete and compact radio unit. Weekly productions of the Radio Broadcasting Club will originate in this studio, and be broadcast by WBVP.”

The archives  at the McCartney Library at Geneva College also show the following about about Don Kennedy from a September, 1952 entry : “Don Kennedy, Geneva senior and WBVP radio announcer, is signed by DIX records, Pittsburgh, as a recording artist.  Don’s first records have already been issued. (Don goes on to become a well-known radio and television personality in Atlanta.)”

Kennedy began his radio career at WPIC in Sharon in 1947.  About a year later, Kennedy was one of the original staff members when WBVP signed on the air in 1948. After serving in the military in  Korea, Kennedy settled in Atlanta and began doing some on air work at WSB T.V.  In 1960, Kennedy founded and put WKLS F.M. on the air in Atlanta, and in 1976, Kennedy was the head of a company that put WATL T.V. Channel 36 back  on the air in Atlanta.

According to an online biography, recently, Kennedy has served as the network coordinator for the Atlanta Braves radio network and the Georgia Tech Football and Basketball networks. Kennedy also syndicated a weekly radio program called “Big Band Jump”, which aired on WBVP, on Sunday Mornings from 7 until 9 A.M. in the 1990’s and 2000’s, as part of over one hundred stations in The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Kennedy is also the voice of several cartoon characters on cable’s Cartoon Network and narrator for award winning documentaries seen on the nine television stations of Georgia Public Television. 

“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.

Since the early days of WBVP and WMBA, politics have been a big part of the radio stations, as a popular topic of conversation on the talk shows and also as a career choice for several of the people who were heard on the airwaves throughout the years.  In this edition of “70th Anniversary Moments”, We will Take a look at some of the announcers who parlayed their popularity into an elected position.

Ernie Kline was born in Allentown, PA, and grew up in Westmoreland County. According to information published in the Beaver County Times, he started working at radio stations in Charleroi, Kittanning and Connellsville before being hired on at WBVP in 1950 and was a popular air personality at the station until the mid-1960’s.  Kline moved to and took up residence in Beaver Falls and was elected to Beaver Falls City Council in 1955. Kline became a State Senator in 1965 and then, along with Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp, Kline was elected on the same ticket as Lieutenant Governor in 1971 Kline served in that position until 1979. Kline continued to work in politics after being in office and worked as a Pennsylvania delegate to the Democratic National Convention up through 2000.

Ambridge native and Point Park University alum, Rob Matzie, started at WMBA in 1987 and worked there off and on until 1994 as a sportscaster and show host and later went into politics.  Rob was the Mayor of Ambridge in 2003 and 2004, and then was elected to the Pennsylvania State Legislature in 2008 where he continues to serve the 16th district.

Jim Reynolds grew up in Beaver Falls and never gravitated far from his roots.  After winning an announcing contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959, He worked at WBVP from 1960 through 1986, and became one of the most familiar and beloved hosts of all time, known as “The Teddy Bear”.  Following his career at WBVP, Reynolds leveraged his popularity gained from years as hosting the morning show and subsequently was elected and served as mayor of his hometown, Beaver Falls, from 1989 to 1993.

Gerry Goff was part of the original staff of WBVP in 1948.  He served as the Program Director, show host and also aired the noon time news on WBVP in that era.  Kenneth Britten made the following observations about Goff in his 1990 article “Local radio”: “Gerry Goff, a well-known local actor who had appeared in several Broadway productions was actually the first Program Director. However, Goff left the station within a year and (Chuck) Wilson assumed the duties for the next twenty-six years. During the short time he was on the air, Goff had a highly popular afternoon program entitled “Yours by Request” which featured listeners calling in to request songs which was very unusual for that time.”  Gerry Goff was from New Brighton and graduated from New Brighton High School.  Prior to working at WBVP, Goff served for one two year term, from 1947-1948 as a Republican in the Pennsylvania State House Of Representatives.  Jerry Goff also worked at WRYO in Rochester for a brief period of time around 1950.

Jack Andolina hosted a popular adult standards music format show entitled “The Best Music This Side of Heaver” on Sunday Evenings on WBVP during the 1970’s and 1980’s .  Andolina also served as the Mayor of Conway from 1973 to 1997 and during that time, he was elected to the post of Vice President of the Pennsylvania Mayor’s Association.

“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.

Employers have many different reasons for deciding to go ahead and hire the new candidate applying for a job.  Sometimes it’s the resume. Sometimes it’s their experience, but on at least one occurrence, It was their three piece suit that made the difference.  This is the story of Guy Junker.

The following is an excerpt from the forthcoming book “Behind The Microphone –  The History of Radio in Beaver County,  PA” to be published in conjunction with the 70th anniversary celebration on May 25, 2018: “Guy Junker’s funny story begins with a station changing format and being geographically challenged.  Junker grew up in the Monongahela Valley on the other side of Pittsburgh and graduated from Baldwin High School.  His radio career got a good early start when he took a job at WEDO in McKeesport. After about a year at WEDO, the station switched to a religious format and Junker was out of a job.  He didn’t need to look far for advice on where his next career move in the media business would take him. In an April, 2018 discussion, Junker reported that one of the other players on the Penn State-McKeesport baseball team back then was Tim Herrera, and the two had become good friends because they were both journalism majors.  Following graduation, Herrera had begun working  for WMBA  and told Junker about an opening at the station.  Junker wasted no time in applying. Lucky for General Manager, Ruth Johnson at the time, Junker had no idea where Ambridge was, and didn’t realize how far away his new gig would be from his home. Otherwise, he may not have pursued an opening in Beaver County. Anyhow, he makes the journey through Pittsburgh and then North out route 65 one day in 1979 for his interview, and made quite an impression on the folks at WMBA. Bill Fontana was the Program Director and liked the way Junker sounded on his demo tape, but what sealed the deal was, as General Manager Ruth Johnson pointed out, according to Junker; “Nobody’s ever come in here in a three piece suit before”.  So, the combination of a smooth sounding, well prepared audition recording presented by a young lad sporting the latest fashion, perhaps from  Jos A. Bank and Company, was too much to resist and Junker was welcomed with open arms at WMBA. Guy Junker worked at WMBA until 1981, when he left to take on a job at WBZZ, B-94 in Pittsburgh.”

Guy Junker has had a very successful career in the media business, that in addition to the previously mentioned jobs, he excelled in  positions at The Sports News Network in Washington, D.C., KBL/Fox Sports net cable T.V. in Pittsburgh and as a sports columnist at The Pittsburgh Tribune Review before resurfacing as a radio show host in 2004 on ESPN radio in Pittsburgh.  In 2006, Junker started his current career at WTAE T.V. channel 4, in Pittsburgh, where he has served as the Sports Director until 2011 and continues to contribute as a sports anchor reporter. Junker also wrote and produced a nationally syndicated series entitled “The Penn State Football Story” from 1989 through 2011, for which he won 6 Emmy awards for “Best Sports Series”. Junker also travels with and reports on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“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.