WDAD

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WDAD
Broadcast area	Indiana / Johnstown
Branding	AM 1450 WDAD
Slogan	"Good Time Oldies"
Frequency	1450(kHz)
First air date	November 4, 1945
Format	Oldies, sports
Power	1,000 watts
Class	C
Owner	Renda Broadcasting Corporation
Website	http://www.wdadradio.com

WDAD is a radio station in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, serving Indiana, Cambria, and Westmoreland counties. It is owned and operated by Renda Broadcasting. The station broadcasts on AM 1450. Its slogan is "Good Time Oldies".

[edit] History

WDAD was the first radio station in Indiana County, and was one of the very first radio stations in the nation granted licenses after World War II had ended. The station has kept its original call letters throughout its history of more than half a century. The WDAD call letters were formerly used by a Nashville radio station (now WMTR), which first signed on the air in 1925.

WDAD's ownership was relatively stable, having only had four owners in its long history. Progressive Publishing of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, purchased the station in 1958 and operated WDAD (and later its FM sister station WQMU) under the company name Indiana Broadcasters, Inc. Progressive also owned two other radio stations, WCPA-AM/WQYX-FM in Clearfield, and WMAJ-AM/WXLR-FM in State College. Progressive Publishing decided to sell WDAD in 1989 to RMS Media Management, Incorporated; a company headed by its then-general manager, Richard M. Sherry, who had been with the stations since 1967.

WDAD enjoyed a long history of success in its hometown, despite two aggressive competitors, WCCS in Homer City, and WLCY-FM in Blairsville, south of Indiana. Co-incidentally, WCCS co-founder Ray Goss had served as General Manager for WDAD and WQMU for 15 years before leaving to start WCCS in 1981. Both WCCS and WLCY had been separately owned until June 2002, when Anthony F. Renda, by then the President of Renda Broadcasting Corporation, entered into a local marketing agreement with Longo Media Group that led to the eventual purchase of WLCY-FM. Renda purchased WCCS outright two months later.

Renda, who had begun his broadcasting career at WDAD as a teenager, also had plans to purchase WDAD and WQMU from RMS Media. RMS Media agreed in 2004 to sell WDAD and WQMU to Renda Broadcasting for $3.25 million.

[edit] WDAD Today

In need of additional studio space to accommodate four radio stations (WDAD, WCCS, WLCY, WQMU), Renda Broadcasting acquired the former Gatti Pharmacy building at the corner of 9th and Philadelphia Streets in downtown Indiana, where the four stations and it's business operations occupy the first and second floors. It is said by some broadcast engineers to be one of the most state-of-the-art radio facilities in the country, small or large market.

[edit] On Air & Specialty Show Schedule

[edit] Monday-Friday

• 6am-10am: "Indiana in the Morning" with Bill Otto

[edit] Monday

• 7pm - 8 pm: PRN's Fast Talk

[edit] Tuesday

• 7pm - 8pm: MRN's NASCAR Live

[edit] Thursday

• 10:30am - 11:00am: "Radio Shopping Mall" with Chuck Clark

[edit] Saturday

• 10am - 2pm: "Jukebox Saturday" with Tony Michaels

[edit] Sunday

• 6pm - 7pm Sunday Bandstand with Bill Otto
• 9pm - Midnight: "Jim's Doo Wop Show" with Jim McCardle

[edit] Radio Personalities

[edit] News Department

• Todd Marino - Morning News Anchor
• Jack Benedict - Morning Sports Anchor & Sports Director
• Chuck Clark - Noon News Anchor
• Michael Bertig - Afternoon News Anchor
• Randall Thorn - Weekend News Anchor
• Bill Cody - Reporter (News Director for Renda Broadcasting)
• Kevin Stiffler - Reporter

[edit] Show Hosts

• Bill Otto - Indiana in the Morning & Sunday Bandstand
• Tony Michaels - Jukebox Saturday
• Jim McCardle - Jim's Doo-Wop Show
• Chuck Clark - Radio Shopping Mall

[edit] Sports

• NASCAR Sprint, Busch, and Craftsman Series racing
• Indiana Indians high school football and basketball