The reason behind the Pirates' decision four months ago to move its radio broadcasts from longtime partner KDKA to WPGB, a member of the Clear Channel cluster of local stations, came in to sharper focus today when the team announced its plans for the 2007 season.

Although the games will be carried on WPGB-FM (104.7), the team will get considerable exposure on all Clear Channel stations.

The Pirates also are using their relationship with FSN Pittsburgh, the station that televises its game, to help promote the team.

"We're trying to give fans more of what they want, more entertainment and more Pirates programming," said Tim Schuldt, the team's vice president for marketing, sales and broadcasting. "We're thrilled with what they've done at FSN and Clear Channel. We were counting on a lot from them and they've delivered."

The Pirates have entree to all Clear Channel's stations, including WDVE-FM (102.5), the No. 1-rated station in the region.

Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the package is the plan to do pregame shows for home night games from Federal Street, which runs alongside PNC Park.

"We're going to create a live studio underneath the cover of our arcade area," Schuldt said, who admitted he got the idea from the huge success such football and basketball shows have received at ESPN when done from college campuses.

"We want our fans to be part of the pregame show. Interviews will be conducted out there. We're trying to create something similar to what ESPN does with its GameDay."

Although the content and length of the traditional pre- and postgame shows will not change on the Pirates Radio Network, those will be expanded locally on WPGB. When games start between 7 and 8 p.m., the Ellis Cannon Show, which usually airs from 6-8 p.m., will be more dedicated to Pirates baseball. For weekend and games that start later, there will be special Pirates programming before the pregame show.

After the Pirates Radio Network signs off, WPGB will carry a listener call-in show lasting from 20 minutes to an hour, with Rocco Demaro as host.

In other attempts to capitalize on the large and varied drawing audiences of the Clear Channel stations:

Color analyst Steve Blass will guest at 7:45 a.m. Tuesdays on the Morning Show with Jim Krenn and Randy Baughman on WDVE.

Play-by-play announcer Greg Brown will guest with Tim Benz on WXDX at 8:30 a.m. Fridays .

Play-by-play announcer Lanny Frattare will guest with Jim Merkel on WWSW at 8 a.m. Wednesdays.

"A lot of people wait until the day of the game to buy tickets," said Schuldt. "With our presence on these shows, it will help us to get people excited about upcoming games and hopefully buy tickets."

On the television side, FSN Pittsburgh will carry 118 regular-season games, 40 of which will be in high definition, and two exhibition games.

Additionally, FSN Pittsburgh is preparing special Pirates shows, including one that takes an inside look at the club's player development system. The station's cameras will take viewers inside meetings and give them a glimpse of some of the club's top prospects on the show, "Under The Lights: The Making of a Franchise."

FSN's Rob King traveled to the Dominican Republic to get a look at how the team recruits and develops players in the country, which has produced an abundance of major-league talent.