Erie PA Radio: After 70+ Years, WRIE-AM Signs-Off

WRIE 1260 AM Erie, PA has ceased broadcasting.  The shutdown is part of a broader strategic realignment by Cumulus Media, which has recently terminated operations at several of its stations across the United States deemed no longer viable in their respective markets.

In a carefully worded statement, a Cumulus Media spokeswoman explained the decision: "As a result of our ongoing efforts to refine our portfolio, we have chosen to suspend operations at certain stations, including WRIE-AM. This adjustment, which affects only a minimal number of individuals, allows us to redirect our resources toward enhancing the performance and reach of our other brands while we determine the most effective course of action moving forward." 

WRIE-AM, affectionately dubbed Erie Sports Radio, had carved out a niche in recent years, primarily delivering syndicated sports talk programming since 2007. 

For nearly half a century, WRIE served as a lifeline for baseball fans, broadcasting Cleveland Guardians games—a tradition that stretched back decades and fostered a deep connection with listeners. With WRIE now off the air, the Guardians’ 2025 season broadcasts are slated to shift to 104.3 FM "The Touch," according to the team’s official website, marking the end of an era for AM radio loyalists.

The station’s cessation has elicited a wave of nostalgia and melancholy among Erie’s radio community. Chet LaPrice, a seasoned Erie radio personality and the operations manager at Gannon University’s 90.5 WERG-FM, likened the news to "hearing that an old friend you haven’t spoken to in years has passed away. It’s a punch to the gut that leaves you feeling a quiet sadness." LaPrice’s sentiment underscores the emotional weight of losing a station that, for many, was more than just a frequency—it was a companion through the years.

WRIE-AM’s history traces back to 1949, when it first hit the airwaves as WERC, Erie’s NBC radio affiliate operating at 1260 AM. Its roots, however, extend even further, to 1941, when it began broadcasting at AM 1230, according to records from the FCC. Over the decades, the station underwent numerous transformations, often spurred by changes in ownership. Its call letters evolved from WWYN to WLKK, then WHDZ, before settling on WRIE in 1989. Alongside these shifts, its programming mirrored the changing tastes of its audience, cycling through formats like big band, country, oldies, and the nostalgic "Music of Your Life."

Several Cumulus stations have recently gone off the air, including two in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX market, where the sports simulcast KIKR/KBED (1450/1510) has ceased broadcasting. In Birmingham, AL, Cumulus has silenced 50 Kw WAPI (1070), which previously simulcast “Talk 99.5” WZRR. Other stations now dark include sports “1230 The Team” WSSO in Starkville, MS, and WYMB (920) in Manning, SC. In Myrtle Beach, SC, “Fox Sports Radio 1050” WAYS has also gone silent, along with “Sports Radio 1560 The Fan” WLZR in Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, FL.

The list of offline stations has expanded further to include classic hits KJMO (97.5) in Jefferson City, MO; country “Nash Icon 93.7” WJBC in Bloomington, IL; country “Nash Icon 97.5” WLAW-FM in Muskegon, MI; country “94.9 The Outlaw” KOLI in Electra, TX; soft AC KRMD (1340) in Shreveport, LA; “News Radio 1440” WLWI in Montgomery, AL; and sports “Erie Sports Radio 1260 AM” WRIE in Erie, PA.