WZSK

DWZSK

Everett, Pennsylvania
Broadcast area	Bedford, Pennsylvania Somerset, Pennsylvania Altoona, Pennsylvania Cumberland, Maryland
Frequency	1040 AM kHz
Branding	"NewsTalk 1040"
Programming
Format	Defunct (was News/Talk)
Affiliations	ABC Radio News
Ownership
Owner	New Millennium Communications Group, Inc.
Sister stations	WSKE
History
First air date	March 15, 1963
Former call signs	WWDS (1963-1967) WSKE (1963-2000) WZSK (2000-2021)
Technical information
Facility ID	54570
Class	D
Power	10,000 Watts daytime 4,000 Watts critical hours
Transmitter coordinates	40°0′26.0″N 78°21′44.0″W

WZSK was a News/Talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Everett, Pennsylvania, serving Bedford, Somerset, and Altoona in Pennsylvania and Cumberland in Maryland. WZSK was last owned and operated by New Millennium Communications Group, Inc.

1040 AM is a United States clear-channel frequency, on which WHO is the dominant Class A station. WZSK must leave the air during nighttime hours in order to prevent interference to the skywave signal of WHO.

History

Beginnings

The groundwork for WZSK was first laid in 1962. Known then as WWDS, founders Dennis and Willard Sleighter first applied for its construction permit in November 1962. The station first operated at an FCC assigned frequency of 1050 kHz, with a maximum output power of 250 watts. The station went on the air March 25, 1963 from its longtime facilities along East First Avenue and Juaniata Street in Everett.

In August 1964, the Sleighters applied for a construction permit to move WWDS's dial position from 1050 kHz to 1110 kHz and increase its power to 5,000 watts. The FCC denied the permit in March 1967. Shortly after, the Sleighters sold the station to the Bakner family, who would control the station over the next three decades.

Sale to Bakner Family

Melvin Bakner, known by his on-air name "Shorty King", formed Radio Everett, Inc. and acquired WSKE in July 1967. The call letters were changed to WSKE in November of that same year. Under Bakner's direction, the station boasted a country format, which became popular with local listeners. In 1979, WSKE applied for a power increase to 1,000 watts and installed a directional antenna system. Bakner's son Martin, also began working at the station as a teenager and would remain there until its sale in 2002.

WSKE petitioned for a frequency change again in the 1980s, and was granted a move its present dial position of 1040 kHz and a power increase to 10,000 watts daytime and 4,000 watts, critical hours.

On April 27, 1987, Radio Everett, Inc. successfully applied for an FM license at 104.3 mHz. That station became known as WSKE-FM and became a full simulcast of its then-same-named AM sister. The station allowed Everett to have local radio service after WSKE was required to sign off after local sunset. The FM broadcast 18 hours a day at that time.

Sale to Millenium Broadcasting

The stations were sold to its present owner in 2002.

Its license was cancelled on November 18 2021.

External links

• History Card - WSKE

• Facility details for Facility ID WZSK ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's AM station database