WGPA

WGPA

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Broadcast area	Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton
Frequency	1100 (kHz)
Branding	"Sunny 1100"
Programming
Format	Talk
Ownership
Owner	Timmer Communications
History
Call sign meaning	Globe Publishing Authority
Technical information
Class	D
Power	250 watts (day only)
Links
Website	WGPASunny1100.com

WGPA (1100 AM) is a Class D daytimer radio station in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. It is currently owned by a local polka musician, Jolly Joe Timmer, and plays a mixture of local and syndicated talk radio programs, oldies, and polka music.

History

WGPA, "Sunny 1100", was formerly owned by Chadwick Broadcasting. Originally, it was a part of the Bethlehem Globe Publishing Authority (the GPA in WGPA). The station, along with sister WGPA-FM 95.1 began February 16, 1946 and was headquartered in studios and offices on Brodhead Avenue, next to the Globe-Times daily newspaper building. The FCC license stated ownership as A-B-E Broadcasting a division of the Bethlehem Globe Times Newspapers signifying Allentown Bethlehem Easton as coverage area. WGPA AM 1100 originally broadcast popular music, which from the late forties to the late fifties was primarily big band/swing featuring artists like Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Doris Day and others. By the late 1950s - early 1960s, rock & roll made inroads and popular music meant playing Elvis, Buddy Holly and other types in addition to the previously mentioned artists. WGPA never became a rock station. In the early fifties, a young man fresh out of Liberty High School named Bob Wolken,started at the station performing odd jobs. He would eventually hire on and became an on-air announcer, who would remain through changes in ownership and formats into the 1990s.

WGPA AM was and continues to be a daytime only station, its broadcast hours limited to dawn-dusk operation. Because of this limitation, WGPA-FM would pick up local live sports coverage after 6 PM. This included high school basketball and football. The FM station's daytime programming was beautiful music featuring the likes of Mantovani, Ferrante and Teicher, Ray Conniff and Henry Mancini to name a few.

By 1973 Bethlehem Globe Publishing Authority aka A-B-E Broadcasting was compelled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to divest itself of its radio holdings. WGPA AM/FM went to Holt Broadcasting for approximately $125,000. There was a succession of format changes, including oldies, automation, even syndication. Through it all, Bob Wolken remained in some on air capacity. The FM station would become WEZV, "Easy 95", playing easy listening music in stereo. By the late 1970s, WEZV would become WZZO, "Z-95", and play rock. It has remained in that format for more than 25 years. Eventually, Holt sold WGPA AM to Henry Chadwick in 1978 for approximately $400,000.

The WGPA-AM offices and studios would eventually be moved to the Dodson Building on North New Street, where they are today. WZZO's offices and studio moved to the Westgate Mall in Bethlehem, and then to Whitehall Township.

In 1992, Bethlehem Polka personality Joe Timmer acquired WGPA AM 1100 from Chadwick Broadcasting. WGPA AM 1100 became known as "Sunny 1100" and Timmer, also known as "Jolly Joe" programmed polka music three times daily. In addition, the station defies traditional format philosophies by playing mixed music, as well as locally produced specialty programming which has included advice/call-in shows for subjects such as parenting, local politics, local sports, as well as locally-produced music shows. Also available are syndicated shows such as The Dennis Miller Show, The Laura Ingram program, Jimmy Sturr, Duke and the Doctor as well as USA Radio Network News on the hour. WGPA SUNNY 1100 also streams live over the internet. As a result, WGPA-AM may be heard after dusk; thus far, all off hours programming is polka variety.

Today in addition to the syndicated shows, WGPA is staffed by highly regarded local DJs like Jarret Brown, Steve Capwell, Dennis Christman, Mike McMillan, Michael Sweigart and Rick Hasonich. These DJs' programs range from doo-wop\oldies( Carson ) to polka(Hasonich)to disco(Brown), Rock/pop variety/country (Christman), 80's-90's pop/ Christian (Sweigart) and even big band\swing(Capwell). Richard T. Mindler, Jr. is the station technical/computer tech who also makes appearances with select DJ's from time to time and on the Jolly Joe Timmer Polka Show on RCN-TV. He has created a large following for the station on twitter. The station also features the premiere sports talk show in the Valley "Jack, Joe, and Company", hosted by Jack Logic and Joe Craig. Prominent local attorney Bruce Davis has hosted a weekly talk show called "The Lehigh Valley Means Business" for many years. The show features interviews with local business leaders and has aired Friday mornings since the 1990s. Ken Matthewes has also joined the WGPA team!

See also

• Media in the Lehigh Valley

External links

• WGPA Official Site
• WGPA in the FCC AM station database
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