WBGG (AM)
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| City | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Pittsburgh metropolitan area |
| Branding | ESPN Pittsburgh |
| Frequency | 970 kHz (also on HD Radio via WPGB-FM-104.7 HD 2).. |
| Translator(s) | 106.3 W262DH (Uniontown) |
| First air date | 1931 (as WWSW at 1500) |
| Format | Sports talk |
| Power | 5,000 watts (unlimited) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 59960 |
| Callsign meaning | PittsBurGh (the second G substitutes for the H) |
| Former callsigns | WWSW (1931-1980s) WTKN (1980s-1988) WWSW (1988-2000) |
| Former frequencies | 1500 kHz (1931-1941) 1490 kHz (1941-1949) |
| Affiliations |
ESPN Radio Pittsburgh Steelers Radio Network Philadelphia Union Radio Network |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (AMFM Radio Licenses, L.L.C.) |
| Sister stations | WDVE, WKST-FM, WPGB, WWSW-FM, WXDX-FM |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 970espn.com |
WBGG is a sports radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.. The station broadcasts at 970 kHz with 5,000 watts day and night.
The station was originally at 1500 (later 1490), and moved to 970 in November 1949, requiring an eight-tower directional array to use the frequency. This large array was one of the first of its kind in the United States.
For many years, this station was WWSW with a MOR music format aimed at older adults. In the early 1970s, General Manager Charles Warner instituted a news-heavy morning show to compete with market leader KDKA.
In 1980, two format changes were instituted at WWSW and its sister station, known for the past seven years at WPEZ. The latter switched from Top 40 to adult contemporary music and proved to be a blueprint for its present-day success. As for the former, a disastrous and abrupt format change to country music (as "Double Country") eventually resulted in the abandonment of the historic call letters and a switch to talk as WTKN, with the moniker "We're Talking Pittsburgh!" Legendary Pittsburgh air personality Doug "Uncle Dougie" Hoerth was among the staff hosts under this format, which proved to be no match for the higher rated KDKA and WTAE.
Later, the WWSW calls were reclaimed. In 1988 WWSW-AM and sister WWSW-FM simultaneously switched to separate oldies formats, with the FM concentrating more on hits of the 1960s and 1970s, while the AM focused on 1950s and 1960s music. Ultimately, the AM became a complete simulcast of the FM station, known as 3WS, by the end of the decade.
In October 2000, 970 switched call letters to WBGG, breaking away from the simulcast to become a Fox Sports Radio affiliate. At first the station was known as "970 The Burgh," but today, the station calls itself "970 ESPN" as it is now an affiliate of ESPN Radio.
The two stations had a common bond as, in addition to being co-owned, they were the flagship stations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The FM outlet for Penguins switched to WXDX-FM in the 2006-07 hockey season while University of Pittsburgh football and basketball switched to WWSW.
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