Trib Total Media launching SportsTalk

Beginning Jan. 18, Pittsburgh sports fans will have a new way toget information on their favorite professional, college and highschool teams.

Trib Total Media is launching SportsTalk on Trib Live Radio onits website, www.triblive.com. Programming will be live 9 a.m. to5 p.m. Monday-Friday, with content looping 24 hours a day.

"Five years from now, Internet radio will be the predominantleader in radio," said Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total Media vicepresident and chief operating officer.

From 9 a.m. to noon, hosts are Chris Mack and former Penguinsplayer Rick Tocchet. From noon to 1 p.m., John Steigerwald will betalking all things sports. From 1 to 5 p.m., Ken Laird, former Steelers player Deshea Townsend and former Pitt basketball playerJulius Page are hosts.

Steigerwald said his show will be "sports talk for regular human beings."

"I like to get into the social stuff, where sports and politicsand social issues intersect," he said. "I like to get involved inthe non-X's and O's as much as the X's and O's."

Bertetto said it was important to find hosts with local ties.

"In Western Pennsylvania, people love and know sports inside and out," she said. "People who are homegrown bring more credibility tothe programming."

In addition to professional and college sports, programming will include segments on high school sports, including information onSports Spotlight athletes and a pregame high school football show,said program director Mike Barker.

Trib Total Media is partners with several sports teams, includingthe Penguins, Pirates, Pitt and Duquesne.

A fully-equipped studio has been built on the sixth floor of theD.L. Clark building on the North Side, home to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Bertetto said while the online radio program is launching with sports, future programs could be planned. The goal is to eventually expand to 24 hours of live material, Bertetto said.