WERG

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90.5 WERG
City of license	Erie, Pennsylvania
Broadcast area	Erie, Pennsylvania
Branding	90.5 WERG
Slogan	Erie's Rock Alternative
First air date	1972
Frequency	90.5 (MHz)
Format	Alternative
ERP	3,000 watts
Class	D
Callsign meaning	Education Radio Gannon
Owner	Gannon University
Website	WERGfm.com

WERG is an alternative station college radio station in Erie, Pennsylvania at 90.5 MHz. The station is owned by Gannon University. Its transmitter is located in Summit Township.

Contents 1 History 2 Super Soul Saturday 2.1 Super Soul Saturday personalities 3 Contact Information 4 External References

[edit] History

WERG began in 1970 after a group of college engineering students wanted to establish a radio station on campus. Rev. Thomas McSweeney assumed the position of faculty advisor for the channel, and in December 1972, WERG hit the air on 89.1 FM.

Originally located in the basement of the Zurn Science Center, WERG's offices were moved to the now-former Schuster Theatre in 1977. The studio remained in Zurn.

In 1980, Pittsburgh's WTAE AM donated a Westinghouse transmitter to the station, allowing Gannon's students to transmit over the air throughout the entire city of Erie. The channel relocated to 89.9 FM.

During much of the 1980s, WERG was known as Rock 89. The station operated a normal weekly rock format and paused on weekends for Super Soul Saturday.

Looking for a new identity to bring in the 1990s and a new modern rock format, WERG changed its on air name to Energy FM 90 on Aug. 29, 1989.

WERG technology improved with the addition of compact disc players in the studios in 1990.

During the 90s, WERG played popular modern rock music.

In Sept. 2000, the station's offices and studio were relocated from Schuster Theatre and the Zurn Science Center to the Walker Building.

On June 30, 2005, at 9:50 a.m., WERG flipped its radio dial location from 89.9 to 90.5 FM after FCC approval had been given to relocate the station's 3,000-watt tower to WQLN.

[edit] Super Soul Saturday

Though Super Soul Saturday has been part of WERG since the beginning, the weekend format block has existed since 1979.

For 33 hours every weekend, a variety of soul, R&B, gospel, blues, jazz, rap, club and hip-hop music is broadcast on WERG.

[edit] Super Soul Saturday personalities

• Winston "Sony" Ellis (1975), worked at WUFO and WKBW in Buffalo, NY;
• Steve Collins (1975), worked 1330 AM WRIE and K104 (WCCK) in Erie before leaving to work at KDIA and KBLX in San Francisco, California and Berkley, California
• Harry Hairston (1977), worked for WQLN-FM, WSEE 35 and WICU before joining Fox 2 in Detroit, Michigan
• James "Jim Christopher" Eaton, worked at WQLN, 1450 WEYZ, WLVU Stereo 99, Q1400 WBLQ and currently does weekend shifts at WXKC Classy 100
• Several current staff members were employed with Q1400 WBLQ in the eighties, including Homer "Lee" Smith, Bobby K, Timmie Mack, Danny "Mr. J" Jones, The Captain, John "Chilly J" Norton and Dorothy Smith
• Mike Carbone (Mike West) joined Super Soul Saturday with broadcast experience at WBLK FM in Buffalo and CING-FM in Toronto, Canada, was awarded Top Mix DJ in the US in 1990 by the Westwood One Radio Network after winning their nationwide Club Mix Competition

[edit] Contact Information

Mailing address 90.5 WERG Gannon University University Square Erie, PA 16541

Studio hotline 814-459-WERG (9374)

Office line 814-871-5841

Station e-mail werg@gannon.edu

[edit] External References

• WERGfm.com
• WERG History
• Super Soul Saturday History
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WERG
• Radio Locator Information on WERG