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.

Over the years, WBVP has been a starting place for many broadcasters who went on to have big impact in the world of radio.  Some of the people who worked at the Beaver Falls, PA radio station actually went on to won their own radio stations down the line.  Such was the case for George Allen.   Allen was  part of the original line up at WBVP in 1948 and went to to own KLGA in Algona, Iowa.  Allen also served as President for the Iowa Broadcasters Association in the mid seventies.   Joining Allen on the staff in 1948 were Morning Show Host  Arnold Felsher, Newsman and Program Director Jerry Goff, Show Host Gert Trobe, Show Host Chuck Wilson, Show Host Alan Boal and Show Host Don Kennedy, among other staff members.

George Allen and the other announcers of that legendary early line up at WBVP worked their craft in a studio and office set up on the third floor of a building located at 1216 7th Avenue in Beaver falls, PA.  The station reportedly had three studios, with the largest one, “Studio A”, reserved for live on air performances.  “Studio “B” was typically where the news reporters delivered their broadcasts, and “Studio C” was where the daily show hosts, like George Allen,  performed their duties. In the recently published book, Behind Microphone, The History Of Radio in Beaver County, PA,  The following excerpt can be found about George Allen:  “Following Arnold Felsher was the deep,  booming voice of George Allen who would settle in behind the microphone of Studio C.  Allen’s shift was from nine until noon. A few years later, he would move into the morning show slot and host a program entitled “Morning Valley Special” featuring a  the daily signature sign off song of “Sentimental Journey”, according to records kept by Ken Britten. George Allen later went on to own his own radio station in Iowa and reportedly was a  partner in two other radio stations.” 

“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.​

They say that in order for a talk show host to be successful, he or she has to be very well read, and very knowledgeable about issues that affect the listening audience, but most of all, the polished talk show host has to have an opinion, and be willing to defend it live on the airwaves with listeners.  Steve Kalb was such a host in the mid to late 1990’s on WBVP.   Kalb was like a fish out of water.  As a man of Jewish descent originally from the Bronx section of New York City, Kalb was drawn to Western Pennsylvania by young lady that he was courting at the time.  Initially, Kalb would fly in on the weekends to spend time with his lady friend, and would pick up some part time hours while here during the day at a Pittsburgh radio station and then, of course, go out to dinner and spend dome time with his girlfriend in the evening before jetting back home after the weekend.

Eventually, Kalb decided that the western Pennsylvania area was more attractive for many reasons, and moved out here full time in 1996.  While that meant he could spend more time with his female friend, it also meant he had to look for meaningful full time employment.  Dimitri Vassilaros was another Pittsburgh resident who had also worked at WTAE A.M., who had then found full time work out in Beaver County as a talk show host on WBVP.  Vassilaros recommended that Kalb give the local class C A.M. radio station headquartered in Beaver Falls a try.  At the time, the station was looking to hire a replacement for popular show host Steve Simon, also known as Steve Hook in his non-radio life, who had recently moved on to other things.  Though small in stature, Kalb made a massive impression with his quick wit, aggressive personality and smooth sounding voice.  He was an easy hiring decision for WBVP Program Director and morning show host in those years, John Nuzzo.  Kalb settled in to the afternoon time slot and Dimitri Vassilaros was moved to the morning talk show and combined with Nuzzo’s morning show, made up one for one of the more robust, talented line ups ever put together on WBVP.

Steve Kalb was interviewed for the recently published book, Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA, where the following expert can be found: “As a liberally minded person of Jewish heritage and native of the New York City area , Steve Kalb kept the WBVP audience very entertained and almost always gave them a fresh and new perspective on national or local  issues, Kalb offered this analysis of his show in an April 2018 interview: “I would talk to anybody about anything. I mean my rule has always been,  I don’t care if you’re liberal or conservative, so long as you can think and communicate what you think to the rest of us, I’m happy to have you on the program.” 

These days, Steve Kalb lives in New Haven Connecticut and serves as an instructor in Residence at The University of Connecticut, where, among other courses, he teaches future broadcasters and journalists about the craft that once made him a celebrity on the airwaves of WBVP.

“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.

The Beaver County Genealogy & History Center

is hosting the free lecture:

“Edward Dempster Merrick & The Merrick

Art Gallery, New Brighton,”

on Tuesday, June 26 at  7pm.

The Center is located at 250 East End Avenue in Beaver.

The lecture is presented by director of TheMerrick,

Cynthia Kundar,

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.

One of the most influential people in the radio industry to come through the hallways of WBVP during the first 70 years of operation is Bill Kelly.  After growing up in the Cleveland Area, Kelly got his first taste of western Pennsylvania when he enrolled at Robert Morris College in Moon Township.  He must have liked the area, because he stayed close to his alma mater right about the same time as commencement when he was hired on at WBVP in 1971.  At the time, WBVP was located in the basement of a bank building located at the corner of 7th Avenue and 14th Street in Beaver Falls.  Walt Broadhurst was the General Manager of the radio station at the time.  Initially, Kelly was hired by Broadhurst to help set up remote broadcasts, do some technical work and help out in the news department.  Kelly eventually found his way behind the microphone and began to host the popular “Teleforum” talk show, a duty that he would continue throughout the remainder of his time at WBVP, up until 1977.

By all Accounts, Bill Kelly was a very popular talk show host.  Kelly’s skills with entertaining Beaver County listeners were talked about in the recently published book, “Behind The Microphone – The History Of Radio In Beaver County”.

“Carleen McKee these days owns Co-Hill Fashions, but in 1975, was fresh out of college school teacher with the Western Beaver School District who lived in her native Beaver Falls.  Like many many people, listening to WBVP was part of the daily routine. In March of 2018, McKee recalled being a winner in a weekly contest aired on WBVP.  “It was a contest that WBVP ran where you would call in and answer a question. and be the tenth caller. . . . and I called in. I kept calling, and I kept getting the the busy signal and finally I got through and Bill Kelly answered.   He said you’re the tenth caller, and I won a hundred dollars . . . I just know that particular Day I was listening and I liked Bill Kelly.”.  According to McKee, Kelly also did another on air gimmick that was funny and got listeners involved with the program.  Kelly reportedly would ask listeners to call in and give a list of things. Kelly then inserted the words that the listener provided into a pre prepared short two or three sentence story, that was, of course, unbeknownst to the caller beforehand, at the appropriate times and read back the passage complete with list of people and things that the listener gave to Kelly on the air. “He would ask you to name different  things. Name a sport. . . . Name a relative . . .  Name an animal at the zoo . . . and then he would read the story and he would use your answers.  Like ‘I saw the Zebra at church. My uncle Jerry was riding it’. It was always comical.”      

 By the end of his tenure in Beaver Falls, Bill Kelly  was an on air show host and serving as Operations Director.  Kelly moved on to WKBN radio in Youngstown in 1977  and further developed the broadcasting skills that had been imparted to him by the Team at WBVP.  In 1981, Kelly was promoted to Vice President at WKBN.  In 1996, things changed radically  in the radio industry when then President Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications act of 1996, which deregulated many parts of the broadcast industry, including removing the restrictions on how many radio stations a company could own and operate.  That meant new bosses for Kelly in Youngstown when big corporations came to town and bought the Youngstown radio radio station off of the Williams famil .  First Jacor, and then Clear Channel, which is now known as iHeart media.  It wasn’t long before the executives in the home office noticed Kelly’s talents, as he was named Market Manager for Clear Channel in Youngstown in 1997.  Entually Kelly would work his way up to Vice President at Clear Channel/iHeart Media, until leaving to take on a similar position with cross town rival, Cumulus Broadcasting in Youngstown, OH, where he continues to work in the radio industry today. In his nearly five decade career, Kelly has gone on to manage and develop hundreds of employees, running clusters of radio stations in big markets.

“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’s Beaver Falls Car Cruise was a huge success and drew cars and spectators from all over the area.  WBVP and WMBA did a live broadcast from the event that was simulcast over 6 D.J. sound systems on 7th Avenue in Beaver falls.  Dozens of Vendors and food selections turned this year’s Beaver Falls Car cruise into a carnival like atmosphere that provided lots of enjoyment for young and old alike.  Frank Spark anchored the day’s activities on Beaver County Radio.

This year, a commemorative plaque was presented to the Beaver falls Happy Days Car Club by Beaver Falls Car Cruise co-chairman, Steve Peterson, during the opening Ceremonies in recognition of the group’s efforts in starting the cruise years ago.   The plaque will be permanently displayed in the Beaver falls History Museum in the Carnegie Library in Beaver Falls.

Christine Kabay from Sarver,  PA was the grand prize of a 50 inch flat Screen T.V.

Video from the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Beaver Falls Car Cruise:

Video from This year’s Beaver Falls Car Cruise:

Pictures from this year’s Beaver Falls Car Cruise:

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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.

In 1970, things were changing at WMBA in Ambridge.  A bright, handsome, young television ad salesman from KDKA TV in Pittsburgh, named John Bride, had just bought the radio station from Miners Broadcasting Service, Inc.  One of Bride’s  first moves was to hire a Sewickley resident who was home for the summer from his studies at Ithaca College in New York.  John Poister was part of a new nucleus of talent that Bride put together at WMBA that made huge strides forward and helped shape and develop the sound of the station into what it sounds like today. Poister joined a staff that also included evening show host and engineer Ted Ruscitti, mid day host and newsman Dave Denniston, program director  Ray Fallon, show host Ken Maguire, Jr., show host Roy “Mickey” Angst and engineer Walter “Red” McCoy, among others.

In the recently published book, Behind Microphone, The History Of Radio in Beaver County, PA, The beginnings of the John Bride ownership era at WMBA are discussed in detail: “Right out of the gate, John Bride created not just a new format for WMBA, but he instilled a new, more aggressive attitude as far competing with other radio stations.  Bride was not content to just sit back and accept leftovers as far as advertisers and audience that were available like crumbs being cast aside from the dinner table for the family dog.  No, Bride sensed there was much more that could be done at WMBA and came to Beaver County with a boat load of almost reckless bravado. One of the first employees that bride hired was Sewickley native and Ithaca College student at the time, John Poister.  Poister remembered the summer of 1970 well.  “When John (Bride) took over the station he made it very clear that his target was WBVP. One of the things he did, which absolutely just  stunned everybody, was buy a full page ad in the Beaver County Times. This was maybe just after he officially took over operation of the station. and he said (in the ad copy)  ‘Look out WBVP and KDKA, WMBA will be number one in Beaver County!’ (it was) Huge. When it was published he bought extra copies. he had them framed and put up in the lobby. He made it part of the seller’s tools and handouts. He made it very clear that WMBA was no longer a background music station. It was very much in the foreground.  That was what he wanted to impart to the employees. In fact, he would come into the salesroom and say ‘What is the cow station up to?’, meaning WBVP. That was what he called it, the ‘cow’ station”. John Bride completely shook things up.  Instead of airing sleepy background music that was common on WMBA before he purchased the station, Bride wanted his station to have a more contemporary sound and to play hits.  He changed all the music and started a new local call in talk show called ”Air Your Opinion”. The new talk show segment would air in the same morning time slot and compete directly with the counterpart talk show of the same ilk being offered at WBVP at the time called “Teleforum”.  Bride also hired a new program director named Dudley Woodrow “Woody” Lester, who was originally from Ohio.”

John Poister continued to work at WMBA until 1974 and later on became a well known force in the Pittsburgh radio market as a news editor at KQV and WTAE radio.  Poister also worked in the same capacity for a while at WTAE T.V., and was part of the on air team that launched the ten o’clock news on WPGH T.V. channel 53 in Pittsburgh.  His accomplishments also include serving as a managing partner at Pittsburgh radio station, WMNY.  Poister then  finished up his career as a media relations person for the Pennsylvania Department Of Environmental Protection in Harrisburg. He continues to reside in Sewickley and is involved with the Sewickley Historical Society in his retirement years.

John Bride continued to own and operate WMBA up until 1986, when he sold the station to Ambridge native, Donn Wuycik and his family. In addition to WMBA, Bride owned a pair of radio stations in Westbrook, Maine.  In 1974, he acquired WJAB, now known as WRED at 1440 A.M.  and shortly thereafter, Bride put WBJQ on the air as a simulcast of WJAB at 106.3 F.M. Later on, Bride swapped frequencies with another Portand radio station, moving WJBQ to 97.9 F.M., where it continues to air to this day.  John Bride also sold the Maine radio stations in 1986 to Turner Porter.  John Bride these days is enjoying retirement in California.

“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.