{"id":7583,"date":"2013-10-14T08:09:33","date_gmt":"2013-10-14T12:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=7583"},"modified":"2013-10-14T08:09:33","modified_gmt":"2013-10-14T12:09:33","slug":"the-rise-and-decline-of-am-radio-in-pittsburgh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/the-rise-and-decline-of-am-radio-in-pittsburgh\/","title":{"rendered":"The rise and decline of AM radio in Pittsburgh"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>

A portrait of Frank Conrad in 1921; holding a microphone in his hand (Source: Wikimedia Commons)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to Jeff Brady who shared this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/a>. While this article focuses on Pittsburgh’s AM radio scene, it’s certainly reflective of a common theme throughout the US and in other countries.<\/p>\n

(Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/a>)<\/p>\n

By Adrian McCoy and Maria Sciullo\u00a0\/\u00a0Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Radio, as we know it, may have begun on a bet.<\/p>\n

Frank Conrad, assistant chief engineer for Westinghouse in the early 20th century, wanted to see whether a new watch was keeping correct time. In 1912, he made a $5 wager with colleague Thomas Perkins. But how to verify his claim?<\/p>\n

Tinkering with materials in his Wilkinsburg garage, Conrad created a small receiver capable of picking up time signals from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Arlington, Va.<\/p>\n

He won his bet and went on to design bigger and better radios for Westinghouse. In turn, Westinghouse became a key player in turning the hobby of a few radio enthusiasts into an industry that changed the world.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh’s radio history is the history of modern radio.<\/p>\n

For AM radio — and the radio industry in general — the hits just keep coming. Rapid technological changes, government legislation, aging demographics and a shifting media landscape have combined to erode AM’s once massive audience. Better clarity through FM, HD and satellite, and more diverse programming have resulted in AM leaning heavily on two formats: talk and sports.<\/p>\n

Still, it all started here.” [Continue reading…<\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For more information about Frank Conrad, check out this biography on Wikipedia<\/a>. Read the full Gazette-Times article The Rise and Decline of AM Radio<\/em> by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to Jeff Brady who shared this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. While this article focuses on Pittsburgh’s AM radio scene, it’s certainly reflective of a common theme throughout the US and in other countries. (Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) By Adrian McCoy and Maria Sciullo\u00a0\/\u00a0Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Radio, as we know it, may have begun on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,305,288],"tags":[4097,625,2228,374,2242],"class_list":["post-7583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-nostalgia","category-radio-history","tag-am","tag-am-radio","tag-local-radio","tag-medium-wave","tag-pittsburgh"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-1Yj","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46184,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/radio-waves-sculptor-honors-fern-blodgett-sunde-pack-removes-voa-editorial-independence-kdka-centennial-and-tracking-murder-hornets-with-wireless-tech\/","url_meta":{"origin":7583,"position":0},"title":"Radio Waves: Sculptor Honors Fern Blodgett Sunde, Pack Removes VOA Editorial Independence, KDKA Centennial, and Tracking Murder Hornets with Wireless Tech","author":"Thomas","date":"October 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0readers.\u00a0 To that end:\u00a0Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-e1556017280857.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-e1556017280857.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-e1556017280857.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/AM-Tower-Blue-WHKY-e1556017280857.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3295,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/the-gazette-cbc-cuts-gut-cherished-international-service\/","url_meta":{"origin":7583,"position":1},"title":"The Gazette: CBC cuts gut cherished international service","author":"Thomas","date":"April 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"More attention to the cuts at RCI from The Gazette of Montreal. This article features quotes from my friend, Sheldon Harvey of the CIDX and the International Radio Report: (Source: The Gazette) MONTREAL - Lost amid the auditor-general\u2019s report last week on the F-35 fighter planes and Canada raising the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/gazette-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":46251,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/radio-waves-future-of-radio-is-relevant-hams-commemorate-kdka-listen-to-the-globe-and-sangean-eu-pre-order-for-ats-909x2\/","url_meta":{"origin":7583,"position":2},"title":"Radio Waves: Future of Radio is Relevant, Hams Commemorate KDKA, Listen to the Globe, and Sangean EU Pre-Order for ATS-909X2","author":"Thomas","date":"November 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0readers.\u00a0 To that end:\u00a0Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-545-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-545-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-545-Dial-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-545-Dial-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-545-Dial-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63686,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/08\/100-years-ago-a-teenager-in-iowa-reaches-greenland-by-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":7583,"position":3},"title":"100 Years Ago: A Teenager in Iowa Reaches Greenland by Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"August 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia, who shares this fascinating article from The Gazette: Arthur A. 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