WXTA
WXTA is a commercial radio station licensed to Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and broadcasting to the Erie radio market. Owned by Cumulus Media, WXTA airs a country music radio format branded as "Erie Country 97.9". The station carries the syndicated morning drive time show Dallas and Kincaid from co-owned WKHX-FM Atlanta. WXTA's studios are at 471 Robison Road West in Erie.
WXTA has an effective radiated power of 10,000 watts. The transmitter is near Oliver Road and Golden Road in McKean.
History
The station signed on the air on October 15, 1988. The power was 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. The original call sign was WMYJ, playing an adult contemporary format for a year as "Y-98". The studios were at 4910 Richmond Street in Erie.WMYJ was purchased by Bob Winters over the summer of 1989. The format was switch to country music at noon on September 11, 1989, and the station took the call letters WXTA.
WXTA was sold to Jim Embrescia's Media One Group in 1996, then to Regent Communications in 1999, then to Citadel Broadcasting in 2004, and most recently to Cumulus Media in 2011.
Former air personalities at WXTA include "Uncle Fred" Horton, Bobby Reed, Ron Kline, Mike McKay, Natalie Massing, John Cunningham, "Big John" Jacobs, Ed Beeler, Bobbi Weston, Brian Williams, Rick Shigo, Chris Atkins, Dale Thompson, Chet Price, Bill Shannon, Laura Luke, Jim Mirabello, Adam Reese, John Gallagher, Tom Lavery, Sammy James, Jay Foyst, Herb Palmer, Dan "Shoeless" Sheldon, Ellie McVay, Truckin' Tom, Cindy Wear and Becca Lynn. Morning Personality "Uncle Fred" Horton died on March 4, 2008.
On February 3, 2014, WXTA, along with nine other Cumulus-owned country music stations, made the switch to going under the Nash FM branding. On March 28, 2024, the station dropped the Nash FM branding, rebranding to Erie Country 97.9.
Former syndicated programming on WXTA included After Midnite with Blair Garner, Big D and Bubba, Country Gold Saturday Night and Neon Nights with Lia.
Current on-air personalities include Mike Sheffield, Jim Griffey, Nicole Dohoda and Chuck Stevens. Stevens is also the station's Program Director. On-air features include Sheffield in the Morning, Country Cartunes at 5, Kickin' it with Kix, and Retro Country.