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.
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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.
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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.
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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.