WGGO
Encyclopedia
WGGO is an AM radio station located in Salamanca, New York
, United States. The station broadcasts at 1590 kHz and is branded as "ESPN 1590 WGGO: The Twin Tiers' Sports Leader." It is affiliated with ESPN Radio
, which is also heard in Western New York via WGR
in Buffalo.
One of WGGO's most notable alumni is CBS weatherman Ira Joe Fisher
, who worked at the station for his first job in 1963.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, WGGO's original programming included "Tradio on the Radio" and a top 25 countdown show called "The Most Alive 25". During this time period, one of the evening DJs went by the moniker "Johnny B. Goode", and would end each broadcast day by playing the Chuck Berry hit before sign-off.
WGGO was a local operation well into the 1990s, when it ran a country music
and variety format. Some time in the late 1990s, WGGO switched to a satellite nostalgia format ("America's Best Music
") from Westwood One
. In 2003, the station moved to an adult contemporary format ("Unforgettable Favorites
") from ABC Radio, with ABC News Radio
updates at the top of each hour.
Prior to 2003 the station was a daytime-only station that, regardless of time of year, would always sign off at 5:00 PM each day. The station now broadcasts at a nominal power level at night.
In 2006, its current owner, Pembrook Pines Media Group (an ownership group led by Robert Pfuntner), took over the station and changed the format to sports radio
along with sister stations WELM
in Elmira and WPIE
in Ithaca.
, was dropped unceremoniously in 2008. On Sunday September 12, 2010 at 9:22am, the longest running program on WGGO AM, "The Voice Of Living Waters", ended its run; Bill Ferguson, Sr. started the program in 1963. The program was first called "The Voice of Many Waters" and had as its theme song the song of the same title. Buffalo Sabres
hockey, the only sports rights Pembrook Pines holds in the region, remains on sister station WMXO
because of WMXO's stronger nighttime signal. New York Yankees baseball was added to WQRS
instead of WGGO for the same reason.
Upon the station's change to sports programming in 2006, WGGO added Penn State Nittany Lions football
and the Cleveland Browns
(these teams primarily play during the day and thus make the best use of the station's signal), as well as local high school sports. Airing Browns games was previously done in the early 1990s on then-Pembrook Pines station WNNR
and in the late 1990s on WMXO
. The rationale was that there was (and remains) a large contingent of Browns fans in the Western New York region, particularly older ones whose fandom predates the existence of the Bills and those who view the Browns as a favorite "second team." The most popular teams in the western Twin Tiers, the Buffalo Bills
and, to a lesser extent in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers
, are heard on other stations in the market (WPIG
and WBRR
for the Bills, WESB for the Steelers). In the 1990s, Pembrook Pines ran the Browns on WACK
, also because the Bills were carried on another station in the market. That station no longer is owned by Pembrook Pines, but it now carries the Bills. By 2009, all live sports programming other than that which comes from ESPN had been dropped. In 2010, WGWE
picked up most of the local high school sports that had been heard on WGGO.
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, United States. The station broadcasts at 1590 kHz and is branded as "ESPN 1590 WGGO: The Twin Tiers' Sports Leader." It is affiliated with ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, which is also heard in Western New York via WGR
WGR
WGR, or WGR Sports Radio 550, is an all sports radio station in Buffalo, New York that broadcasts on 550 AM. It is the flagship station of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, and is currently the only full-time sports talk station in the city of Buffalo. Its studios are located in Amherst,...
in Buffalo.
History
WGGO signed on June 19, 1957 under the guidance of religious broadcaster George Thayer as WNYS, although they changed their call signs fairly early in their existence. (Thayer is still alive today and continues to produce religious broadcasts.http://www.christiantvservices.com/page2.htm)One of WGGO's most notable alumni is CBS weatherman Ira Joe Fisher
Ira Joe Fisher
Ira Joe Fisher is an American meteorologist and poet. He was the weather reporter for CBS's The Saturday Early Show, a position he held from 1999 until 2006...
, who worked at the station for his first job in 1963.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, WGGO's original programming included "Tradio on the Radio" and a top 25 countdown show called "The Most Alive 25". During this time period, one of the evening DJs went by the moniker "Johnny B. Goode", and would end each broadcast day by playing the Chuck Berry hit before sign-off.
WGGO was a local operation well into the 1990s, when it ran a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and variety format. Some time in the late 1990s, WGGO switched to a satellite nostalgia format ("America's Best Music
America's Best Music
America's Best Music is the on-air branding of an adult standards 24-hour radio network, known internally as Adult Standards and formerly known as AM Only, currently owned by Dial Global. It was one of the original Westwood One's Transtar networks...
") from Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. In 2003, the station moved to an adult contemporary format ("Unforgettable Favorites
Unforgettable Favorites
Unforgettable Favorites was a satellite driven format distributed by ABC Radio Networks...
") from ABC Radio, with ABC News Radio
ABC News Radio
ABC News Radio is the radio service of ABC News, a division of the ABC Television Network. Formerly known as ABC Radio News, ABC News Radio feeds, through Cumulus Media Networks, newscasts on the hour to its more than 2,000 affiliates...
updates at the top of each hour.
Prior to 2003 the station was a daytime-only station that, regardless of time of year, would always sign off at 5:00 PM each day. The station now broadcasts at a nominal power level at night.
In 2006, its current owner, Pembrook Pines Media Group (an ownership group led by Robert Pfuntner), took over the station and changed the format to sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
along with sister stations WELM
WELM
WELM signed on in 1947 as Chemung County's second radio station and the Elmira-Corning, New York market's third. It broadcasts on 1410 kHz. The station uses a three-tower array, broadcasting at 5,000 watts from a single tower until sundown, when the power is lowered to 1,000 watts and the pattern...
in Elmira and WPIE
WPIE
WPIE signed on in 1989 as Tompkins County's third AM radio station and the Ithaca, New York market's 12th station on both radio bands. It broadcasts on 1160 kHz.-History:...
in Ithaca.
Programming
WGGO currently runs a direct feed from ESPN Radio and has no local programming; the last local non-brokered program on the station, TradioTradio
Tradio is the name given to a type of talk radio show format where listeners call in to buy or sell items. The concept of is analogous to classified ads in local newspapers....
, was dropped unceremoniously in 2008. On Sunday September 12, 2010 at 9:22am, the longest running program on WGGO AM, "The Voice Of Living Waters", ended its run; Bill Ferguson, Sr. started the program in 1963. The program was first called "The Voice of Many Waters" and had as its theme song the song of the same title. Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
hockey, the only sports rights Pembrook Pines holds in the region, remains on sister station WMXO
WMXO
WMXO is a radio station licensed to and located in Olean, NY. The station broadcasts at 101.5 MHz and plays a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station is currently owned by the Pembrook Pines Media Group and features programing from Jones Radio Network, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood...
because of WMXO's stronger nighttime signal. New York Yankees baseball was added to WQRS
WQRS
WQRS is a radio station in Salamanca, New York in the Olean, New York broadcasting area. The station broadcasts a country music format and is owned by Pembrook Pines Media Group....
instead of WGGO for the same reason.
Upon the station's change to sports programming in 2006, WGGO added Penn State Nittany Lions football
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
and the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(these teams primarily play during the day and thus make the best use of the station's signal), as well as local high school sports. Airing Browns games was previously done in the early 1990s on then-Pembrook Pines station WNNR
WUUF
WUUF is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Sodus, New York, USA, the station serves the Rochester area. The station is currently owned by Waynco Radio and features programing from Westwood One/Dial Global's "Mainstream Country" format.-History:The station went on the...
and in the late 1990s on WMXO
WMXO
WMXO is a radio station licensed to and located in Olean, NY. The station broadcasts at 101.5 MHz and plays a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station is currently owned by the Pembrook Pines Media Group and features programing from Jones Radio Network, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood...
. The rationale was that there was (and remains) a large contingent of Browns fans in the Western New York region, particularly older ones whose fandom predates the existence of the Bills and those who view the Browns as a favorite "second team." The most popular teams in the western Twin Tiers, the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and, to a lesser extent in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, are heard on other stations in the market (WPIG
WPIG
WPIG is an FM radio station located in Olean, New York. Branded as the "Big Pig," "The Pig" or simply by its frequency and callsigns at times, the station operates at 95.7 MHz on the FM dial and operates a broad-based country music format...
and WBRR
WBRR
WBRR is an FM radio station in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The station, operated by sister station WESB, is a classic hits format station branded as "HERO Radio" , and by "Cool 100" .Morning show jocks Scott Douglas and Frank Williams, whose morning show is...
for the Bills, WESB for the Steelers). In the 1990s, Pembrook Pines ran the Browns on WACK
WACK
WACK is a radio station broadcasting a news talk information format and licensed to Newark, New York, USA. The station is owned by Waynco Radio, Inc., and features programing from CNN Radio, ESPN Radio and Westwood One....
, also because the Bills were carried on another station in the market. That station no longer is owned by Pembrook Pines, but it now carries the Bills. By 2009, all live sports programming other than that which comes from ESPN had been dropped. In 2010, WGWE
WGWE
WGWE is an FM radio station licensed to Little Valley, New York. The station, with a tower atop Fourth Street in the village of Little Valley, broadcasts a classic hits format on 105.9 MHz and operates under the ownership of the Seneca Nation of Indians; the Seneca nation purchased WGWE's...
picked up most of the local high school sports that had been heard on WGGO.