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Type | (Catholic) radio |
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Country | |
First air date | February 3, 2008 (17 years ago) (2008-02-03) |
Founded | 2006 (2006) |
Headquarters | Toledo, Ohio |
Broadcast area | |
Owner | Our Lady of Guadalupe Radio, Inc. (d/b/a Annunciation Radio) |
Affiliation(s) | |
Affiliates | |
Webcast | Listen live |
Official website | annunciationradio |
Annunciation Radio is a regional network of five non-commercial radio stations inOhio that feature aCatholic format with programming from bothEWTN Radio andAve Maria Radio. The flagship station,WNOC (89.7FM), is licensed toBowling Green, Ohio, and serves both Bowling Green and theToledo metropolitan area, both part of theDiocese of Toledo. WNOC's broadcast reach is extended intoNorthwest Ohio,Northeastern Indiana and the Ohio regions ofSandusky,Willard,Ashland andMansfield through four full-power FM repeaters. The network also carries programming originating from WNOC's studios which are located inToledo. In addition to standardanalog transmission on all five stations, Annunciation Radio programming is available online.
Annunciation Radio began in 2006 as a venture by Toledo businessman and Deacon Michael Learned who, on February 3, 2008, launched a Sunday afternoon program on Toledo daytime talk station WTOD (1560AM). It was sold byCumulus Media to CSN Radio in March 2010 (which is nowWWYC). The program briefly moved to Cumulus-ownedWLQR (1470AM) until the new station signed on on August 14, 2010. The construction permit was at first held by MCCR Inc. (Ministry for Catholic Charismatic Renewal.) While the new station was in its construction permit phase, a temporary working studio and office was set up at 2679 Brookford Drive in Toledo and a tower erected on Sugar Ridge Rd. near Bowling Green which is shared withWPFX. It is the second Catholic station to make its debut in the summer of 2010, the other beingWJTA "Holy Family Radio" licensed inGlandorf, Ohio and transmitting fromLeipsic.
In June 2010, two months before the station began broadcasting, Tim Kusner joined the radio station's staff. He was responsible for obtaining underwriters and gradually moved into producing, announcing, traffic management, managing the station Facebook page, and co-hosting the Friday morning live programAnnunciation Radio Presents. WHRQ (88.1FM) in Sandusky made its on-air debut on Monday, April 25, 2011, as a WNOC simulcast. The station's construction permit was secured in 2009 by thePort ClintonKnights of Columbus Home Association.[1] Annunciation Radio's webstream also launched on August 26, 2010.
In May 2013 Annunciation Radio opened a permanent main studio and office located at 3662 Rugby Drive in south Toledo. In July 2013, it purchasedLexington stationWFOT (89.5FM), serving theMansfield area, fromSt. Gabriel Radio based inColumbus. The transition of WFOT programming from St. Gabriel Radio to Annunciation Radio took place at 3:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 11, 2013. WFOT has been on the air since 2007.
In September 2013, Annunciation Radio purchased the construction permit of WSHB (90.9FM) inWillard from the Mansfield Christian School, which ownsWVMC in Mansfield. Approval of the sale was granted by theFederal Communications Commission on December 23, 2013. WSHB took to the air on Christmas Day, December 25, 2013.
The following stations comprise the Annunciation Radio network, with WNOC as the flagship:
Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
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WNOC | 89.7 FM | Bowling Green, Ohio | 176349 | 5300 | 87.9 m (288 ft) | A | 41°25′39″N83°36′30″W / 41.42750°N 83.60833°W /41.42750; -83.60833 | LMS |
WFOT | 89.5 FM | Lexington, Ohio | 92877 | 360 | 304 m (997 ft) | A | 40°43′36″N82°36′59″W / 40.72667°N 82.61639°W /40.72667; -82.61639 | LMS |
WHRQ | 88.1 FM | Sandusky, Ohio | 172338 | 380 | 102.4 m (336 ft) | A | 41°22′37.80″N82°48′52.30″W / 41.3771667°N 82.8145278°W /41.3771667; -82.8145278 | LMS |
WRRO | 88.9 FM | Edon, Ohio | 175485 | 1400 | 96 m (315 ft) | A | 41°32′58″N84°46′18″W / 41.54944°N 84.77167°W /41.54944; -84.77167 | LMS |
WSHB | 90.9 FM | Willard, Ohio | 137442 | 450 | 71.5 m (235 ft) | A | 41°02′53″N82°40′52″W / 41.04806°N 82.68111°W /41.04806; -82.68111 | LMS |