By Patrick Cloonan, Daily News Staff Writer
October 15, 2004

Forty years ago, on New Kensington's old WKPA-AM 1150, a native of southern
Italy began offering a taste of the old country to fellow immigrants.
It was a taste that soon would have the flavor of a new sound from another
part of Europe - the Beatles' invasion of the English-speaking musical
world.

"The worldwide music changed, too," Sal Patitucci said. "Even in Italy, you
cannot hear the old romantic music."

In case you wonder, there's even rap in Italian.

"Music is a mood, that's all that is," Patitucci said on the 40th
anniversary of "Radio Italia," now heard from 5 to 6 p.m. weekdays and 1-2
p.m. Sundays on WKFB-AM 770.

"As a matter of fact, you can listen to my Italian program, without saying,
'I cannot understand the words,'" Patitucci said. "You will enjoy the music,
even if you like rap, even if you like rock 'n roll. If you go today to
Italy, and you find a jukebox, 95 percent is American music. The Beatles
changed the way of thinking, musically."

Patitucci is retired from 28 years with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In
February, he left a longtime berth on WEDO-AM 810 for a new home in WKFB's
North Versailles Twp. studios.

WKFB offered a better rate, to an ethnic broadcaster who in turn goes out
and sells commercial to pay for that time.

"I still have a good relation with the people on WEDO," Patitucci said. "As
a matter of fact, (General Manager) John James is a very good friend of
mine. It was just an economic (matter) because today everything is higher."

WKFB is the latest stop in a career that included WKPA (now WGBN), WMBA-AM
1460 in Ambridge, WHJB-AM 620 (now WKHB), WDUQ-FM 90.5 and WYEP-FM 91.3.

There also was television, a weekly show from 1974 to 1979 on WPGH-53.
Ethnic programs have disappeared from local television, but technological
advances - satellites and digital cable - can bring foreign language
programs into living rooms around the clock.

"I have RAI 24 hours a day," Patitucci said. "I can watch a soccer game from
Italy, I can watch the news live from Italy."

As was the case at WEDO, Patitucci is part of an eclectic mix on WKFB,
including doctors' shows, weekend car care talk, sports, religion and
oldies. "Radio Italia" is the only ethnic show on AM 770, while AM 620's mix
includes polka shows that fill 10 hours every Saturday.

"After 1964, '65, '70, the Italian immigration is changing," Patitucci said.
"Now, you find doctors and professional people."

Some things haven't changed - there's still news from RAI, the Italian
national network. And the program still shifts with a daytime-only
schedule - effective Nov. 1, to a 3-4 p.m. slot.

Patitucci has done several programs carried by RAI on its international
shortwave service, and hoped to do it again. "It was a beautiful way to talk
to the community around the world."

Meanwhile, there's the Italian community covered by WKFB's signal, reaching
from Youngstown, Ohio, to Cumberland, Md., and from Fairmont, W.Va., to
Punxsutawney.

For it, there are interviews, such as a recent talk with an official from
Italy's Calabria region that was reported in detail this week on a Web site
there (with several references to Patitucci and WKFB). There's also a daily
calendar - and there's music.

"I have to play music for everybody," Patitucci said. "For instance, Monday,
after the news from Italy, I play the oldies. On Tuesday, I play folk music.
On Wednesday, I might play, for instance, a Neapolitan song.

"And also I play the hit parade every day." It is a selection as varied as
"Radio Italia," a show that continues to appeal, as Patitucci put it, to
"toti gusti." To all tastes.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?B... AG=461&rfi=9