Athletic director Jeff Long noticed soon after arriving in May 2003 that there was a local radio void concerning University of Pittsburgh football and basketball, and his pursuit to fill that audio emptiness reached a conclusion yesterday when he announced a new broadcast rights deal with Clear Channel's WPGB-FM and WBGG-AM.

Before the Blue-Gold game, Pitt and Clear Channel unveiled a two-year contract they consider the first steps in what could be a lucrative arrangement for both parties, plus a boon to Panthers listeners. Included in the deal are increased Pitt pregame and postgame shows, the return of coaches shows, a revival of "Panthers Hotline" and the possibility for more Panthers programming. All football and basketball games, starting with Pitt's Sept. 4 opener, will be simulcast on news-talk 104.7 and Fox Sports Radio 970.

"That was the first thing that struck me, and it really did strike me in the face," Long said of the lack of Panthers programs besides games on former rights-holder WRRK-FM -- with whom they ended their contract a year early in what he called "an amicable split" -- and elsewhere on the dial. "Our past relationship, while it was good for it's day, has been inadequate for where our program has arisen. This is a clear, clear advancement for our program."

In a new deal that started with middle-management talks last summer, the Panthers hike their on-air presence by a minimum of 3 hours weekly during football and 1¹*_2-3 hours weekly during basketball.

Football broadcasts will contain a 90-minute pregame and 60-minute postgame show, simulcast on both stations. Then, on the AM all-sports outlet, there will follow a 60-minute "Panthers Hotline," a call-in show previously heard five years ago -- after football games only, though.

Basketball games will include a 30-minute pregame and postgame show, to be followed on the AM by the new basketball version "Panthers Hotline."

Also, there will be Walt Harris and Jamie Dixon coaches shows, most likely on 104.7, which Clear Channel regional vice president John Rohm called the flagship. Fox Sports Radio 970 also is AM home to the Steelers and Penguins, whose game broadcasts would take precedence over any conflicts with the Pitt basketball schedule. WPGB's schedule won't run into any conflicts, Rohm said, because Clear Channel's WDVE-FM (102.5) is the Steelers' flagship and WWSW-FM (94.5) is the Penguins' flagship.

Tomorrow, Harris and Dixon are scheduled to make the radio rounds on the air with those FM stations.

Hosts for the new shows haven't yet been selected.