WMOA
Encyclopedia
WMOA is a Class C radio station which broadcasts at 1490 kHz, with its signal originating from the city of Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...

. The 1000-watt station covers much of the Mid-Ohio Valley, which includes parts of Southeastern Ohio and Northwestern West Virginia around the cities of Marietta and Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...

.

History

WMOA began broadcasting as an experimental station in September 1946 from a garage in Williamstown, West Virginia
Williamstown, West Virginia
Williamstown is a city in Wood County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,996 at the 2000 census...

, across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 from Marietta. The station, upon receiving a Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...

 (FCC) license, relocated its broadcast studios to the basement of the historic Lafayette Hotel in downtown Marietta. The studios relocated again to the Citizen's Bank Building during the latter part of the 20th century before settling at their current location on Lancaster Street in Marietta.

Programming

The station currently advertises itself as "Full Service Radio," and features a variety of generally local interest broadcasting. The station is currently affiliated with ABC Radio for national news updates, and broadcasts live sporting events for nearby Marietta College
Marietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...

. Besides ABC News updates twice hourly, the station features local on-air talent and music for the bulk of their broadcast day, with some syndicated programming airing during the morning drive-time period, notably including the Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt , better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at...

 newscast. The station primarily provides coverage of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 and Ohio State University football
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...

, but also airs Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...

, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

, Ohio University Bobcats football
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...

, and local high school sports broadcasts.

Staff

Johnny Wharff:
"J3" as he is called by his employees under him is the owner of WMOA, but so much more than a fearless leader. In Radio, advertising accounts for nearly 95% of a radio stations income, and nobody seals the deal like Wharff. Along with being a Dynamite sales man, Johnny has decades of experience on the air, most notably as the "Voice of the Marietta Tigers" http://www.mariettafootball.com/ and the "Etta Express"http://pioneers.marietta.edu/index.aspx?path=baseball Johnny can often be found at the aforementioned games with his broadcast partner Mark Bradley.

Stephanie Wiles:
Stephanie is the Station & Business Manager for WMOA. She's the first person you see when you walk in the building and usually the first person you speak to when you call.

Chris Wharff:
The Brother of Johnny, Chris Wharff also owns his own business. Phase one Productions, and does advertising sales for WMOA. Chris is also incredibly experienced on the air, most notably for his work with high school sports on the WMOA sister stations WJAW FM 100.9 and AM 630. Chris, Unlike Johnny, does not have a Mark Bradley caliber wing man, and is therefore commonly held back by his various broadcast partners.

Kyle Wenzel
With More than 15 years of employment at WMOA, Wenzel is certainly a veteran behind the mic. Every weekday from 2pm to 6 PM Kyle proves once and again that he is one of the best on air talents in the Mid Ohio Valley.

Andy Rex
Andy Rex is another veteran of radio. Like Wenzel, Rex has more than 15 years behind a WMOA control board. You can always hear Rex from 10AM to 2PM on the weekdays, playing a favorite mix of music, and making your work day lighter.

Ralph Allen
Allen is the most veteran member of the WMOA on air staff. You can hear Ralph's booming baritone every weekday morning at 6. Ralph will get you out of bed and wake you up with his special mix of tunes that you will only hear on WMOA from 6AM to 10 AM when Allen controls the board!

Kylie Smith
Nothing Happens in Marietta with out it passing by the watchful eye of Kylie Smith. As the reporter for WMOA Kylie goes on the air every weekday morning at 6:30 and 7:30 and in the afternoon at 12:10, 4:32, and 5:32.

Ben Marshall
You will hear a variety of things when you tune into WMOA between the hours of 6PM to 12AM on weeknights. You might hear Ben Marshall rolling out your favorite tunes, or you could hear a variety of sporting events. Whether it be the Cincinnati Reds, the Marietta tigers, the Columbus Blue Jackets or the Marietta College Pioneers, Ben Marshall is the Man behind the scenes.

Bryon Sunderman
Most commonly referred to as the Brett Favre of Radio, WMOA is proud to bring Sunderman back to the station after a little hiatus. You can hear him on the air at a variety of times. Whether he's on WMOA in the evenings or running the local ship of nearly all WJAW ESPN Radio's Local Ball games, Bryon is no slouch when it comes to his radio experience.

Jamey Styer
Styer started out at WMOA as a weekend voice talent but eventually graduated to Operations Manager. Occasionally Styer will fill in a blank if the regular DJ is out.

Tom Hushion
Hushion Is an ad executive at WMOA and he has many years behind the desk at WMOA. Hushion also does side work as a color man, most notably at the side of Chris Wharff.
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