WOHA (FM)

WOHA
Broadcast areaLima
Frequency94.9 MHz
BrandingHoly Family Radio
Programming
FormatCatholic radio
AffiliationsEWTN
Ownership
OwnerHoly Family Communications, Inc
WJTA (originating station at 88.9mHz )
History
First air date
October 18, 1991; 33 years ago (1991-10-18)
Former call signs
WONB (1991–2020)
Call sign meaning
One Holy Apostolic
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID50133
ClassA
ERP3,000 watts
HAAT100.0 meters (328 feet)
Transmitter coordinates
40°45′58.00″N 83°50′14.00″W / 40.7661111°N 83.8372222°W / 40.7661111; -83.8372222
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live from website
Websiteholyfamilyradio.fm

WOHA is a non-commercial educational FM radio station licensed to Ada, Ohio, operating at 94.9 MHz. The station is owned and operated by Holy Family Communications, Inc, and simulcasts Holy Family Radio, a Catholic radio station based at WJTA licensed in Glandorf and transmitting from Leipsic.

History

In 1988, Ohio Northern University applied to the Federal Communications Commission to build a new radio station in Ada. WONB began broadcasting October 18, 1991. It was a student-run station, with studios in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts and a transmitter on campus. The station played a classic hits format during the daytime and more contemporary hits at night. WONB was associated with the school's communication and media studies department and its multimedia journalism major.

In December 2019, Ohio Northern announced it was selling the WONB license and facility to Holy Family Communications, which would use the station to rebroadcast its Catholic radio station WJTA, licensed to Glandorf. The facility sold for $175,000.[2] Holy Family had been attempting to expand into the Lima area for nearly a decade; in 2016, the network had lost out on a translator that was then bought by a commercial broadcaster and relocated to Cincinnati.[3] Ohio Northern has shifted its student radio to a live stream and podcasts;[4] it also did not sell the WONB call letters in the transaction.[3]

The sale was consummated on April 21, 2020, at which time the new owners changed the station's call sign to WOHA (for "One Holy Apostolic"). Holy Family began operation of the station on April 22, 2020.[5] Its 3,000 watt signal clearly reaches the greater Limaland area and its adjacent communities along the I-75 corridor of West Central and Northwestern Ohio, as far north as the agricultural communities north of Findlay and as far south as Anna and Botkins south of Wapakoneta in addition to the faith community and its pilgrims of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation located in the village of Carey and neighboring Upper Sandusky.

Plans are being made for additional fulltime repeater stations at 90.9 in Fostoria and 89.7 in Van Wert pending FCC approval.

WOHA also audiostreams though the Holy Family Radio mobile app for cel phones.

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WOHA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Deal Digest: It's All About Ohio". Inside Radio. December 12, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Compton, Jeff (December 16, 2019). "Holy Family Radio Announces Expansion". Holy Family Radio. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  4. ^ Steiner, Fred (December 13, 2019). "ONU sells its FM radio license". Ada Icon. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "New Station Alert 📢".