Pittsburgh group bids for W.V. signal to air jazz

Pittsburgh Public Media is looking to buy WVBC’s 1,100-watt signal from licensee Bethany College in West Virginia to broadcast jazz “just like WDUQ used to,” the group’s c.e.o., Chuck Leavens, told the local Tribune-Review.

Back in January 2011, the group had attempted to purchase WDUQ, which ultimately went to a partnership of another Pittsburgh pubradio station, WYEP, and a nonprofit established by Public Radio Capital

Leavens said the group hopes to raise $150,000 to pay for the station outright, and already has $15,000 from donors.

He is former chief engineer at WDUQ and the technical designer of the station’s JazzWorks service.