Radio Stations

Even before it had a transmitter, Pan Asia Radio had a philosophy that set it apart from other radio stations: "Let us build a bridge to preserve our culture and traditions for the next generations. . . . " The ellipsis at the end was deliberate, meant to indicate a mission that was open-ended, said Grace Calvelo-Rustia, who founded the station with her husband in late 1996. The couple, both immigrants from the Philippines, weren't out to make money or score high on the Arbitron rating system.

If you listen to this station in Philly Try this one at the shore In Philly WUSL-FM (98.9) or WDAS-FM (105.3) In Jersey WTTH-FM (96.1 and 105.5) The shore's outpost for "urban" music, like hits from Barry White and Anita Baker. Sprinkles of jazz. In Philly WBEB-FM (101.1) WFPG-FM (96.9) For the light rocker in you. Artists include Genesis and Whitney Houston. WFNN-FM (98.7) The soulful sounds of adult-contemporary artists, such as Mariah Carey and Elton John.

Sick of "Jingle Bells" yet? The town's two top-rated light-rock radio stations have gone to wall-to-wall holiday music through Christmas Day. Ratings front-runner WBEB-FM (101.1) flipped formats yesterday at 3 p.m., starting with the Carpenters' "Sleigh Ride. " Upstart WSNI-FM (104.5), which planned a switch to seasonal music later this month, apparently was caught by surprise. It launched its all-Christmas campaign last night. B101's move was a preemptive strike.

The new government closed television and radio stations linked to Manuel Antonio Noriega and a top Vatican envoy arrived to aid in negotiations over the fate of the ousted general. Noriega was still at the Vatican mission, where he sought refuge on Christmas eve to escape capture by U.S. forces who invaded on Dec. 20. The government said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger would meet today with President Guillermo Endara. State Department officials would not say whether Eagleburger would be involved in the talks to get Noriega out of the Vatican embassy.

No doubt this has happened to you. You're driving down the street, completely absorbed in some catchy, new song playing on the radio. Gotta get this record, no question about it. Except the disc jockey didn't introduce the record. So, you pull in front of your house, still listening to the song. But you don't get out. You sit there listening, waiting to get the name of the tune and the artist. But when it's over, the disc jockey doesn't give you a clue - right into the next record.

The clickety-clack of KYW Newsradio's ersatz teletype machine is familiar to many people in the Philadelphia area. Most folks, however, don't expect to hear it on their telephone. But the powerful signals from KYW and other radio broadcasters, especially amateur radio operators, often come to life on items other than radios. And telephones are among the most common receptors, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Just ask the neighbors on East Gowen Avenue in East Mount Airy.

Singer Sinead O'Connor has a policy of not allowing any national anthems to be played before her shows. Since rock concerts aren't usually preceded by the "Star Spangled Banner," nobody really took much notice of this, and no feathers were ruffled. However, when O'Connor threatened to refuse to perform at a recent concert in New Jersey, radio stations in the area found a dandy way to boost sagging ratings - organize anti-Sinead activities fit for the whole family. WMMR's John DiBella, once the highest rated DJ in the Philadelphia area, decided it'd be healthy and humane to hand out American flags at Ms. O'Connor's show at the Mann Music Center, and let the crowd give her what for. If the people at WMMR have ever actually paid attention to what happens at a rock concert, the results were predictable.

The city Commission on Human Relations has asked radio stations in Philadelphia not to play the "rap" record "The Discombobulatorbubalator," saying the song may be offensive to Asian people. "As the mandated agency to eradicate discrimination and to enhance intergroup relations in this city, the commission respectfully requests that you not air this song," the panel's letter reads. "The commission has determined that this particular song may be offensive to Asians and further strain relations between Asians and non-Asians," it says.

WUSL and WEGX have "Batman. " WYSP has "Great Balls of Fire. " WMMR has "Ghostbusters. " WMGK had "Cousins. " More movies than ever are turning up on the radio, and not only in the form of theme music. In this summer of "Batman," "Ghostbusters II," "Star Trek V" and "Indiana Jones III," stations are competing fiercely to promote the movies themselves with free sneak previews and album giveaways. "I can't remember any year being so competitive with the radio stations wanting these films," said one movie publicist who, like Batman, prefers anonymity.

Good news for alternative-music fans on the Main Line. Come January, the radio stations at Cabrini College and Villanova University, which have long dedicated their formats to music considered off the beaten track, are hitting the big time with a spot on the FM dial. Both stations have been trying for years to get approval from the Federal Communications Commission for a license in the Philadelphia area, whose airwaves are so jammed with radio signals that it has been virtually impossible for a new station to break into a slot.

In an effort to bring one of the nation's most venerable high school radio stations up to 21st-century standards, the Kal and Lucille Rudman Foundation has donated $10,000 to Haverford High School's WHHS (99.9 FM). WHHS, which began broadcasting in 1949 and claims to be the nation's first high school station, is in the process of renewing its FCC registration, which requires an updated system. The station's current equipment does not have the power or digital capacity needed to run a modern studio.

PHILADELPHIA is on track to break its own record for most volunteers participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 21, with 110,000 people expected to help out on 1,500 projects in the area, organizers say. The national event, which began in Philadelphia 18 years ago, aims to honor the civil-rights pioneer - who 50 years ago marched on Washington to deliver his "I have a dream" speech - by coordinating volunteer projects of...

UPSTART talk-radio station IQ 106.9-FM had its best ratings book since its April launch during the Oct. 11 to Nov. 7 period, according to the latest Arbitron figures. The station was the 10th most-listened-to station in the market by men and women 12 and older. Credit Rush Limbaugh , who can be heard from noon to 3 p.m. and the presidential election with much of the success, but it's still notable that a seven-month-old station was up from 18th place in the same category from the last ratings period from September to October.

Joe South, 72, who performed hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as "Games People Play" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes," and also wrote songs including "Down in the Boondocks" for other artists, died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. Mr. South, whose real name was Joseph Souter, died at his home in Buford, Ga., northeast of Atlanta. Mr. South worked as a session guitar player on recordings by some of the biggest names of the 1960s - including Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Former Notre Dame running back and Fighting Irish radio analyst Allen Pinkett has been pulled off the broadcast of Saturday's season opener against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, following his comments that teams need bad guys to give them an edge. Andrew Giangola, a spokesperson for the IMG Notre Dame Radio Network, said Thursday that the game deserves to be distraction free and Pinkett's comments made to Chicago's WSCR-AM were unacceptable. He said further decisions on Pinkett are pending.

Albert F. Paschall Jr., 58, retired president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, died of pneumonia Monday, May 28, at Wuesthoff Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla. Mr. Paschall retired June 30, 2011, after 25 years as booster and advocate for the chamber and its member businesses. He used the writing and speaking skills he learned early on as a newspaperman to bolster his various causes. Although he told family and friends he did not want to be remembered as the man who moved the King of Prussia Inn, Mr. Paschall was the force behind that complicated project.

Look out Non-Comm, here comes Bob Lefsetz. Bob who? Non-what? Non-Comm is the shortened term for the annual radio industry gathering officially called the Non-Commvention, which is hosted by WXPN-FM (88.5-FM) and starts Thursday in University City. It will bring an assortment of high-wattage and up-and-coming names to World Cafe Live over the next three days, including Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Beth Orton, Brandi Carlile, and the War on Drugs. (Tickets for all those artists are sold out, but piano man Rufus Wainwright highlights a free Saturday afternoon show at the new Penn Park, at 31st and lower Walnut Streets.)

They are young and he is not. That shouldn't matter, but eventually, inevitably, it does. If you have ever been a parent who survived those wonderful teen years, then you can relate. Doug Collins has been there, done that. Not only as a father, but as a grandfather. There is, on average, roughly 40 years distance between them, the children of the 76ers and their baby-sitter, the coach. They may find it difficult to fathom, but he knows more basketball than they do. Tons more.

Rush Limbaugh's show will no longer be running on "The Big Talker," WPHT-AM (1210). CBS announced that Premiere Media, which syndicates Rush's show, is taking it off WPHT's schedule, where he's been since 1999 (before that, he was on WWDB). Replacing him in the 1-3 p.m. slot will be longtime Philly broadcaster Michael Smerconish, whose national talk show has been running taped during afternoon drive time; it'll now run live. "I am thrilled that CBS decided to make this change," Smerconish told us at "SideShow," "and I am anxious to once again welcome live callers from my hometown for the duration of my program.

Add the Icelandic sextet Of Monsters and Men to that list of rock acts with a "Philadelphia story. " Joined by seventh musician Ragnhildur Gunnarsdóttir on trumpet, accordion, and keyboards, the cheerful Icelanders delivered an exultant 90-minute set at the Theatre of Living Arts on Tuesday. It was the first of two sold-out nights and their purposefully chosen live Philadelphia debut, coming on the release date of their keenly anticipated debut album, My Head Is an Animal. The Philly honor roll that Of Monsters and Men has now joined includes old regional faves such as Yes and Peter Frampton (both playing before 130,000 at a gate-crashed JFK Stadium gig in June '76)