WPST
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WPST is a radio station located at 94.5 FM with an Adult Top 40 format playing today's hit music and re-currents of the 1990s and late-1980s . The station is licensed to Trenton, New Jersey, and is owned by Nassau Broadcasting. The transmitter is located in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, on US-1.
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[edit] Previous hosts by shift
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[edit] Mornings
- Tommy Jordan/Chris Rollins (2006-)
- Chris Centauri/Chris Rollins (2005-2006)
- Mark Vanness/Chris Rollins (1998-2005)
- Eddie Davis/Chris Rollins (1995-1998)
- Eddie Davis/Kris Gamble (1994-1995)
- Eddie Davis/Janet Dunagan
- John French
- Pat Gillen
- Tom Taylor
[edit] Middays
- Toni Ryan (2006-)
- Gabrielle Vaughn (1998-2006)
- Dan Kelly (1996-1998)
- Michelle Stevens (1992-1996)
- Dave Hoeffel
- Jay Sorensen
[edit] Afternoons
- Matt Sneed (2003-)
- Joel Katz (1996-2003)
- Dan Kelly (1995-1996)
- Scott Black (1995)
- Andy Gury
- Tom Cunningham
- Trish Merelo
[edit] Nights
- Shinn (2008-)
- Shinn and Tim (2007-2008)
- Shinn and JohnC (2006-2007)
- Tommy and Shinn (2004-2006)
- Tommy Jordan (2001-2004)
- Chris Puorro (1998-2001)
- Jason (1996-1998)
- Joel Katz (1995-1996)
- Brian Douglas (1993-1995)
- Alex Valentine (1992-1993)
- Mel Toxic
- Terrie Carr
- Dave Moss (early - mid 80s)
[edit] Late nights/Overnights
- Wade
- Tommy Jordan
- Jason
- Dave McKay
- Scott Lowe
- Mike Kaplan
- Rich DeSisto
- David Cooper
[edit] History of 94.5
94.5 in Trenton began on August 7, 1965 as WCHR-FM with a religious format. But after 33 years, that all changed when Nassau Broadcasting bought the station. November 10, 1997 saw the beginning of things to come when WCHR began to simulcast on 920 AM in Trenton (see NJ AM Page 4) in preparation for a format change. On February 27, 1998, WCHR started stunting with construction sound effects and on March 2, 1998 94.5 became "New Jersey's Oldies Station." The WNJO calls were assigned on March 26, 1998. On November 1, 2001, WNJO switched to a classic hits format as "94.5 The Hawk." Calls changed to WTHK on August 1, 2002 - and slowly evolved into a classic rock station. On February 14, 2005, at 5pm, 94.5 "switched" frequencies and formats with 97.5 WPST. Forming 94.5 "PST" "number one for today's hit music". Matt Sneed (current MD) was the first voice on 94.5 WPST, while Chris Puorro was music director and Dave McKay was program director at the time.
[edit] History of 97.5
97.5 started life, initially on January 10, 1949, then officially on April 19, 1949, as WTOA. It was owned by the Mercer Broadcasting Company, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trenton Times newspaper. WTOA started out broadcasting from 3pm to 11pm, with an ERP of 14,500 watts. Its original coverage area reached as far north as Brooklyn, New York and as far west as Reading, Pennsylvania. 97.5 became WPST on September 13, 1971. The WPST calls originally stood for "Passport Stereo Trenton," a slogan of the station at the time. WPST is known for its mainstream CHR format, which they've had for many years. Tom Taylor was the PD who launched the format in the mid 1970s, and did mornings on the station until 1987. In August 1975, owner Herb Hobler hired Phil Gieger as the General Manager. Along with Tom Taylor, they revamped the station and coined the phrase, "From The Shore To The Poconos, The Best Music Is On The FM 97.5 WPST." They initially established an Adult Rock format, and by the Fall of 1975, the station took off and eventually became the number one station in the market. Some WPST DJs over the years included John Mellon (aka Walt Ballard), Ed Johnson, Doug James, John Brown, Eddie Davis, Trish Merelo, David Cooper, Andy Gury, Brian Douglas, Mel Toxic, Kris Gamble, Jay Sorensen, Dave Hoeffel, Tom Cunningham, Dave Moss, Michelle Stevens, Pat Gillen, Eric Johnson, Mark Sheppard, Andre Gardner, Phil Simon, Mike Kaplan, Steve Trevelise, Joel Katz, Rich DeSisto, Jason Barsky, Scott Lowe, Joe LeCompte, Jeff Ryan, Mark Van Ness, Gabrielle Vaughn and Chris Puorro. Caricatures of the WPST DJs, circa 1977, can be found here. On February 14, 2005, at 5pm, 97.5 "switched" frequencies and formats with 94.5 WTHK. In August 2005, 97.5's city of license was changed from Trenton to Burlington. The 97.5 transmitter is located in downtown Trenton, New Jersey. The tower from which 97.5 broadcasts is the tallest structure in the City of Trenton.
Recently, 97.5 announced that it had plans to move its transmitter to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and also that it was switching over to the smooth jazz format, broadcasting as the second incarnation of WJJZ. The original WJJZ (106.1 FM), owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications, was one of Philadelphia's most popular radio stations until August 2006, when it was flipped to Rhythmic AC, adopted the call letters WISX, and renamed "Philly's 106.1." (Later on, WISX adopted its current Hot AC format and became "My 106.1.")
The "New" WJJZ began broadcasting on November 17, 2006. Seven members of the former 106.1 airstaff have returned to its 97.5 replacement, and Michael Tozzi, the program director at the first WJJZ, has been hired by the new version for the same position he had held before. The other six are Gerald Veasley, Teri Webb, Greg Purcell, Bill Simpson, Frank Childs and Desirae McCrae.
[edit] External links
- WPST official website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WPST
- Radio Locator information on WPST
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WPST
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