WZTE is a

broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

licensed to

Union City, Pennsylvania Union City is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is located southeast of Erie. In the twentieth century, there were three large chair factories, planing and grist mills, a powdered milk plant, and several furniture factories. The populat ...

, serving Erie County,

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, and

Warren County Warren County is the name of fourteen counties in the USA. Some are named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War: * Warren County, Georgia * Warren County, Illinois * Warren County ...

in Pennsylvania and Chautauqua County in New York. WZTE is owned and operated by Inspiration Time, Inc., with headquarters in

Waterford, Pennsylvania Waterford is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,475 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. Waterfor ...

History

The station first signed on the air as WHYP on September 5, 1966, founded by James D. Brownyard. It was joined less than two years later by its like-named sister station, WHYP-FM (now

WRKT WRKT (104.9 FM, "Rocket 105") is an active rock radio station in Erie, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. WRKT's studios are located in the Boston Store building in downtown Erie while its transmitter is located near NE Sher ...

), operating at 100.9. Like many co-owned FM stations of the era, it simulcast its AM sister during the daytime and provided local radio service after the AM station left the air after local sunset. Those hours of operation continue today for WZTE, as AM 1530 is a clear channel reserved for WCKY at night. In January 1989, both WHYP-AM-FM were sold to Rambaldo Communications and went "All Beatles' with album sides until Rocket 101/1530 Launched in June 1989.

Mercyhurst University (Seize the day) , former_names = Mercyhurst College (1926–2012) , established = , type = Private university , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Sisters of Mercy) , endowment = $31.8 million , faculty = 136 full-time , administrat ...

commenced on a purchase of WYNE on March 30, 2005 from Corry Communications, Inc. On September 1, 2017, Mercyhurst University sold the then-WMCE to Inspiration Time, Inc., the owners of Christian radio station

WCTL WCTL is a Christian radio station on 106.3 FM in Erie, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Inspiration Time, Inc. History The 106.3 license began operations as WBVB, licensed to Union City, on April 23, 1967. The call letters ca ...

, for $30,000. It was presumed that the station would begin airing a religious format, while the format then on the station would move to FM 100.9 after the sale. Following the sale, the station changed its call sign to WZTE, after which the station had remained silent, except for a brief period in September 2018 when the station signed back on to maintain its license. In December 2018, the station returned to air, with its city of license shifted to Union City. The station began testing and stunting as ''Freedom 1530''—carrying a mix of patriotic music, along with readings of the

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

by recent high school graduates, and readings of Christmas messages from U.S. presidents. The station ended program testing January 2, 2019, at 3:30 PM and launched TalkErie.com, a news/talk radio format. Daily satellite programming includes talk show hosts originating from the

Salem Radio Network Salem Radio Network is a United States-based radio network that specializes in syndicated Christian political talk, music, and conservative secular news/talk programming. It is a division of the Salem Media Group. Network information Salem Rad ...

, along with a locally-originated afternoon program hosted by Erie veteran broadcaster and WZTE Station Manager Joel Natalie. The station also airs local newscasts twice per hour weekdays.

References

External links

* * {{AM Stereo radio stations in the United States

ZTE ZTE Corporation is a Chinese partially state-owned technology company that specializes in telecommunication. Founded in 1985, ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. ZTE's core business is wireless, exchange, optic ...

Radio stations established in 1966

1966 establishments in Pennsylvania News and talk radio stations in the United States