-By Katy Bachman

Pittsburgh’s legacy as a steel town is long past. Today, the market prides itself on life sciences, robotics and health care. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the city’s reputation as a sports town, home to the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. It’s no surprise the market has one of only five owned-and-operated ESPN Radio stations.

Another Pittsburgh legacy that remains is broadcasting, home to the oldest radio station in the nation, KDKA-AM, now owned by CBS Radio. CBS also owns three other radio stations as well as a TV duopoly that includes O&O KDKA-TV, one of the oldest TV stations and the longtime news leader.

Both WTAE, Hearst-Argyle Television’s ABC affiliate, and WPXI, Cox TV’s NBC affiliate, have worked hard to unseat KDKA, with some success. While KDKA remains No. 1 at 4, 5, 6 and 11 p.m., WTAE is No. 1 in mornings, followed by WPXI. WTAE also has the largest cume audience of any other TV station in the market. Already a highly competitive TV market, the prospect of local people meter measurement early next year is likely to raise the stakes.

Meanwhile, Comcast, the local cable provider, is bracing itself for battle. Verizon FiOS recently began offering its subscription TV service.

Conservative-minded Pittsburgh is also ground zero for continued wrangling over Lamar Advertising’s plans to erect a 1,200 square-foot digital billboard at the new Grant Street Transportation Center. Lamar, which dominates the outdoor market, has also been converting 42 of its conventional billboards to digital. JC Decaux has the advertising contract for Pittsburgh International Airport.

David Beihoof, president of the city’s largest newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (owned by Toledo, Ohio-based Block Communications, a 107-year-old privately held media firm), will retire in July. He’ll be succeeded by Diana Block, co-publisher.

Vital Stats:

* TV DMA Rank: 22
* Population 2-plus: 2,675,201
* TV Households: 1,158,210
* TV stations (Net/Ind/Public/Local Cable): 6/4/2/1
* Wired Cable Households: 851,070
* Radio Metro Rank: 24
* Population 12-plus: 1,986,600
* Radio Stations (rated): 27
* Newspapers (Daily/Weekly): 12/32

The Numbers:

Click here for demo data

Click here for media usage data

Click here for marketplace data