WSBG
Encyclopedia
WSBG is a radio station
broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. For the last couple of years, the station offered a mainstream adult contemporary format moved from 107.1 FM. Licensed to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
, USA, the station serves the Stroudsburg area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting, LLC.
. Beginning in the late 1960s WVPO-FM would simulcast WVPO in the morning hours and in the afternoon employ a pop rock format. This continued until February 1984. Their local owners were known as Keystone Broadcasters.
In 1983 WVPO-FM separated totally from WVPO and began offering a Top 40 format playing current product mixed with big hits from the late 1970s and 1980s. The station added new jingles and liners and also added to its airstaff. The call letters were changed to WSBG. The station at one point became known as Power 93.5. The station continued to evolve and by the early 1990s the station played hits of the late 1980s, 1990s and plenty of new product.
In 1994, WSBG and WVPO were sold to Nassau Broadcasting Partners. The format remained Top 40 initially. In 1995, though, WSBG began to lean alternative rock. Early in 1996 the station had become almost entirely modern rock but evolved back to mainstream top 40 almost as quickly by the Summer. The station continued as a Top 40 station until October 1997. At that point the station quietly segued into a Hot Adult Contemporary format.
In 1998 the station, along with WVPO, were sold to Multicultural Broadcsters but continued to be managed by Nassau. In 1999, WSBG was a Hot A/C station.
On August 25, 2000, Nassau flipped then-sister station WHCY
106.3 (which is now a Clear Channel station) from Country to Top 40. Some of WSBG's staffers moved there. Others remained at WSBG. On that same day, WSBG adopted a new adult rock format modeled after a format known as "Alice" which was being employed by 104.5 in Philadelphia (that station has since changed formats).
In 2001, Nassau acquired Lehigh Valley
stations WODE 99.9, 1230 WEEX, and a cash amount from Clear Channel Communications
in exchange for New Jersey stations WNNJ
, WNNJ-FM
, WHCY
, WSUS
, and the LMA
with WDLC and WTSX
.
In 2002, Nassau re-acquired full ownership of WVPO and WSBG. WSBG had remained a gold-based Adult rock format focusing on 1970s to 1990s pop rock hits. The most prominent show on the station had been the "Gary In The Morning" show, featuring Gary Smith. On April 11, 2007 Smith was fired for airing a contest based around a racial slur said by Don Imus 2 days earlier on his nationally syndicated radio show.
On May 3, 2007, the "Rockin' Hits" format of WSBG was shut down. The "Lite 107" adult contemporary format of sister station 107.1 WWYY
moved to 93.5. WWYY then became known as "The Bone", offering a Hard Rock based Classic rock
format. Nassau veterans Chuck Seese and Joann George are currently the Morning team on WSBG. Amy Navarro handles the mid-day show. Station PD Rod Bauman mans the afternoon slot from 3-7pm.
On October 14, 2009, WSBG relaunched itself as "935 SBG, The Pocono's Best Variety" at 2PM. This format consists of newer hits from today along with hotter songs from the 1990s.
on his nationally syndicated radio show).
According to a press release issued by the station, Smith “used the phrase with full knowledge of the reaction to Don Imus’ use of exactly the same phrase just a day earlier, which is the reason he was terminated and not suspended.”
On April 17th 2007, Smith took part in a telephone interview with Howard Stern on "The Howard Stern Show". After Gary gave his account of the incident, Howard urged Nassau Broadcasting to reinstate Smith's job immediately. But Nassau was already planning a move of 107.1 WWYY's format to 93.5, and planned to sign-on a new format on 107.1.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. For the last couple of years, the station offered a mainstream adult contemporary format moved from 107.1 FM. Licensed to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
, USA, the station serves the Stroudsburg area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting, LLC.
History
93.5 FM began operation in 1964 as WVPO-FM. Initially the station employed an MOR format playing mostly pop standards and simulcast WVPOWVPO
WVPO is a radio station simulcasting a Talk/Personality format originating from WPLY. Licensed to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, the station serves the Stroudsburg area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Ii, LLC and features programing from CNN Radio, Premiere Radio Networks...
. Beginning in the late 1960s WVPO-FM would simulcast WVPO in the morning hours and in the afternoon employ a pop rock format. This continued until February 1984. Their local owners were known as Keystone Broadcasters.
In 1983 WVPO-FM separated totally from WVPO and began offering a Top 40 format playing current product mixed with big hits from the late 1970s and 1980s. The station added new jingles and liners and also added to its airstaff. The call letters were changed to WSBG. The station at one point became known as Power 93.5. The station continued to evolve and by the early 1990s the station played hits of the late 1980s, 1990s and plenty of new product.
In 1994, WSBG and WVPO were sold to Nassau Broadcasting Partners. The format remained Top 40 initially. In 1995, though, WSBG began to lean alternative rock. Early in 1996 the station had become almost entirely modern rock but evolved back to mainstream top 40 almost as quickly by the Summer. The station continued as a Top 40 station until October 1997. At that point the station quietly segued into a Hot Adult Contemporary format.
In 1998 the station, along with WVPO, were sold to Multicultural Broadcsters but continued to be managed by Nassau. In 1999, WSBG was a Hot A/C station.
On August 25, 2000, Nassau flipped then-sister station WHCY
WHCY
WHCY, known as Max 106.3, is a hot adult contemporary class A FM radio station broadcasting on 106.3 FM. The format is now satellite programming along with some syndicated shows. The station is licensed to Blairstown, New Jersey and serves Sussex County and Warren County in western New Jersey, and...
106.3 (which is now a Clear Channel station) from Country to Top 40. Some of WSBG's staffers moved there. Others remained at WSBG. On that same day, WSBG adopted a new adult rock format modeled after a format known as "Alice" which was being employed by 104.5 in Philadelphia (that station has since changed formats).
In 2001, Nassau acquired Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
stations WODE 99.9, 1230 WEEX, and a cash amount from Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
in exchange for New Jersey stations WNNJ
WTOC (AM)
WTOC was a radio station licensed to Newton, New Jersey. They offered an oldies music format with songs from the 1960s and 1970s along with a small amount oldies from 1955 to 1964 and a small amount of hits from the 1980's. They were a full-time affiliate of Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel...
, WNNJ-FM
WNNJ
WNNJ is a Class B FM radio station licensed to Newton, New Jersey broadcasting on 103.7 FM. They serve the Sussex County, New Jersey radio market while also reaching northeastern Pennsylvania and Orange County, New York. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WNNJ offers a Rock...
, WHCY
WHCY
WHCY, known as Max 106.3, is a hot adult contemporary class A FM radio station broadcasting on 106.3 FM. The format is now satellite programming along with some syndicated shows. The station is licensed to Blairstown, New Jersey and serves Sussex County and Warren County in western New Jersey, and...
, WSUS
WSUS (FM)
WSUS is a Class A radio station serving the Sussex County, New Jersey, area. The station is licensed to Franklin, New Jersey, is owned by Clear Channel Communications and has an adult contemporary music format...
, and the LMA
LMA
LMA may refer to:* Laryngeal mask airway, a mask used in anaesthesia and emergency medicine.* Leaf Mass per Area* League Managers Association, an organization representing managers of English football clubs....
with WDLC and WTSX
WTSX
WTSX is a radio station in Lehman Township, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Port Jervis Broadcasting, but operated under a local management agreement by Sunrise Broadcasting. They now offer a simulcast of Fox 103.1 WJGK playing an AC format.-History:...
.
In 2002, Nassau re-acquired full ownership of WVPO and WSBG. WSBG had remained a gold-based Adult rock format focusing on 1970s to 1990s pop rock hits. The most prominent show on the station had been the "Gary In The Morning" show, featuring Gary Smith. On April 11, 2007 Smith was fired for airing a contest based around a racial slur said by Don Imus 2 days earlier on his nationally syndicated radio show.
On May 3, 2007, the "Rockin' Hits" format of WSBG was shut down. The "Lite 107" adult contemporary format of sister station 107.1 WWYY
WWYY
WWYY is a United States class A radio station broadcasting on 107.1 FM. The station is located in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, but is licensed to Belvidere, New Jersey and serves the Poconos and the Lehigh Valley. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners...
moved to 93.5. WWYY then became known as "The Bone", offering a Hard Rock based Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format. Nassau veterans Chuck Seese and Joann George are currently the Morning team on WSBG. Amy Navarro handles the mid-day show. Station PD Rod Bauman mans the afternoon slot from 3-7pm.
On October 14, 2009, WSBG relaunched itself as "935 SBG, The Pocono's Best Variety" at 2PM. This format consists of newer hits from today along with hotter songs from the 1990s.
Gary Smith controversy
On April 11, 2007 Gary Smith, host of the "Gary In The Morning" show, was fired for a "joke" that he did on the previous Monday's show. Listeners were to call in with "The Phrase That Pays" to win a prize. That phrase was "I'm A Nappy Headed Ho" (in reference to the remarks made by Don ImusDon Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
on his nationally syndicated radio show).
According to a press release issued by the station, Smith “used the phrase with full knowledge of the reaction to Don Imus’ use of exactly the same phrase just a day earlier, which is the reason he was terminated and not suspended.”
On April 17th 2007, Smith took part in a telephone interview with Howard Stern on "The Howard Stern Show". After Gary gave his account of the incident, Howard urged Nassau Broadcasting to reinstate Smith's job immediately. But Nassau was already planning a move of 107.1 WWYY's format to 93.5, and planned to sign-on a new format on 107.1.