Steve Novotney
Steve Novotney (born December 4, 1966) is an American journalist, author, and talk radio host from Wheeling, West Virginia. He is best known in the Upper Ohio Valley area for his sports reporting, his support for US troops, and his balanced treatment of most things political. He currently holds an editorial position with Troop Soup Magazine and is host of Steve Novotney Live on WKKX-AM in Wheeling.
Life
Novotney was raised in Wheeling, graduating from St. Michael Parish School, The Linsly School, and West Liberty State College.
Athletics
A three-sport athlete in high school, Novotney was also a member of three West Virginia American Legion Baseball state championship clubs (Post 1 - Wheeling, the first American Legion post in the United States) and was named the state's Legion Player of the Year in 1985.
As a left-handed pitcher for the Hilltoppers of West Liberty State in 1986 and 1987, Novotney pitched for two West Virginia Conference champion teams.
Career
Newspapers
His professional career began with the Wheeling-based newspaper The Intelligencer in August 1991 as a part-time sportswriter, and he was hired as the sports editor of the Wetzel Chronicle in March 1992. In November 1994, he accepted a staff position with the Wheeling News-Register, and in March 1996, was named as the Ohio Bureau Editor for both The Intelligencer and the News-Register.
Novotney also has been published by The State Journal for the past two years, and mostly recently in the Charleston Daily Mail and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pittsburgh media
In February 1997, Novotney was appointed editor and general manager of Pirate Report, the official newspaper of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also hosted “Talkin’ Bucco Baseball” and “The Jack Wilson Show” on Pittsburgh’s ESPN Radio 1250. The paper folded after failing to develop a strong base of paid circulation. After eight seasons, the decorated journalist returned to the Ohio Valley to accept the position at WWVA.
WWVA
Novotney hosted The Steve Novotney Show afternoons on WWVA 1170 AM from August 2004 until November 30, 2006, when the show was cancelled following the announcement that Clear Channel Communications would sell the station as part of a major restructuring plan. Novotney was recognized by the Associated Press as the top talk show host in West Virginia in his first year behind the station’s 50,000-watt signal.
On a daily basis, Novotney discusses timely topics. His program features both local and national guests, and he never shies away from the rough issues or the tough questions while covering local and national news, politics, religion, and sports.
At the time Clear Channel opted to disgust Ohio Valley listeners and remove Novotney from WWVA, Novotney was the top-rated talk show host in the Wheeling market.
Troop Soup Magazine
In January 2007, he accepted the positions of Director of Editorial Content and Vice-President in Charge of Marketing and Circulation for Troop Soup Magazine, a quarterly magazine featuring military members with West Virginia roots.
WKKX
Novotney was hired in May 2007 by 1600 AM WKKX in Wheeling to serve as a talk show host. Since, the awarding-winning journalist has hosted both "The George Kellas Show" and "Jeffers & Co." on various occasions, and he has appeared on "The Saturday Sports Huddle" and the "Happy Hour" during the station's "Tainted Luv" morning show.
Novotney's return to the Ohio Valley airwaves has been welcomed by many on-air callers, Ohio Valley officials and fellow WKKX staff members.
Books
- 27 Outs: The Story of the 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates
- Winning Ways: Tales of Past Pittsburgh Pirates