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| WDAD | |
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| Broadcast area | Indiana / Johnstown |
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| 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".
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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.
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 its 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. Jack Benedict has been with the four Indiana stations under the different owners since 1969, Chuck Clark since 1976, and Bill Otto since 1980.
Local Programming
Weekdays
- 6am to 10am: "Indiana in the Morning" with Bill Otto
Monday
- 7pm to 8 pm: PRN's Fast Talk
Tuesday
- 7pm to 8pm: MRN's NASCAR Live
Thursday
- 10:30am to 11:00am: "Radio Shopping Mall" with Chuck Clark
Saturday
- 10am to 2pm: "Jukebox Saturday" with Tony Michaels
Sunday
- 6pm to 7pm Sunday Bandstand with Bill Otto
- 9pm to Midnight: "Jim's Doo Wop Show" with Jim McCardle
Sports
- NASCAR Sprint, Busch, and Craftsman Series racing
- Indiana Indians high school football and basketball
Station Personnel
News Department
- Todd Marino - Morning News Anchor
- Jack Benedict - Morning Sports Anchor & Sports Director
- Chuck Clark - Noon News Anchor
- Michael Bertig - Interim Afternoon News Anchor
- Randall Thorn - Weekend News Anchor; Reporter
- Dan Flickinger - Reporter
- Kevin Stiffler - Reporter
Off-Air Management
- Mark Bertig - Vice President and General Manager
- Paul Tatarko - General Sales Manager
- Jim DeCesare - Program Director
- Todd Marino - Production Director
- Michael Bertig - Interim Assistant Production Director
- Travis Williams - Traffic Director
- Keith Reiter - Assistant Traffic Director
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