WQIO

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WQIO is an FM radio station in Mount Vernon, Ohio located at 93.7 MHz. The station plays adult contemporary as "Eagle 93.7". Currently, this is ABC Radio Network's "Today's Hits--Yesterday's Favorites" format.

WQIO and its sister Sports/Talker WMVO-AM is currently owned by BAS Broadcasting of Fremont, Ohio. Prior to October 1, 2005, the station was owned by Clear Channel Communications. WQIO was previously known as "93Q" prior to its purchase by Clear Channel, with a format closer to Hot AC than its current "lite" format.

The John Tesh Radio Show, which aired from 7 p.m. to midnight, was discontinuted when the station changed owners. However, the show returned three weeks later due to listener feedback.

[edit] History

WQIO and sister station WMVO-AM were founded by Helen E. Zelkowitz in the 1950's and remained locally owned and operated until their pending sale in 1989. Then W. Marten and K. Schoolbrook purchased the stations to pair with WNCO-A/WNCO-F in nearby Ashland. The name of the company was Ohio Radio Group.

In 1992 Ohio Radio Group purchased WYNT in Upper Sandusky along with WDIF-FM in Marion. With the popularity of the "Super Q" format on 93.7 in Mount Vernon they launced Hot Hits 94.3 WDIF in Marion displacing the longtime MOR format. In 1995 Ohio Radio Group expanded once again purchasing WBCO-A/WBCO-F and WSWR-F in Bucyrus. WSWR-F was sold to Mills Broadcasting who owned WMAN-A/WYHT-F in nearby Mansfield.

In 1996 they purchased WYXZ-F in Crestline and sister WGLN-F in Galion. And later that fall they were able to purchase WWBK-F in Fredericktown and WBZW-F Loudonville which they turned Country. In 1997 the purchase of WMRN-A/WMRN-F was completed making Ohio Radio Group the largest owner and operator of radio stations in the entire state. Then after three months, the company purchased WMAN-A/WSWR-F/WYHT-F from Regent Broadcasting who only owned the properties for 6 months. Making their ownership include in 1997:

• WNCO-AM Ashland - Nostalgia
• WMVO-AM Mount Vernon - Nostalgia
• WMRN-AM Marion - News/Talk
• WBCO-AM Bucyrus - Nostalgia
• WMAN-AM Mansfield - News/Talk

• WNCO-FM Ashland/Mansfield - Country
• WQIO-FM Mount Vernon - Top 40
• WWBK-FM Mount Vernon - New Country
• WBZW-FM Loudonville/Ashland - New Country
• WYNT-FM Upper Sandusky - Rock
• WDIF-FM Marion - Top 40
• WMRN-FM Marion - Country
• WGLN-FM Galion - Nostalgia
• WSWR-FM Mansfield - Classic Rock
• WYXZ-FM Mansfield - Rock
• WYHT-FM Mansfield - Top 40
• WBCO-FM Bucyrus - Oldies

In 2001 Ohio Radio Group was purchased by Clear Channel in the sole purpose to move WMRN-FM to Columbus and trade WBZW Loudonville for Dix Broadcasting's WQKT-FM Wooster which they would move to Barberton to replace WKDD.

Clear Channel couldn't take all the stations, so they had to sell off WBCO-AM/WQEL-FM to Scantland Communications of Columbus. Also that year WYXZ put the cluster over the limit and it was sold to Elyria Lorain Broadcasting. The swap for WQKT/WBZW also never took place.

Clear Channel's newly realigned cluster in 2001 looked like:

• WNCO-AM Ashland - Nostalgia
• WMVO-AM Mount Vernon - Nostalgia
• WMRN-AM Marion - News/Talk
• WMAN-AM Mansfield - News/Talk

• WNCO-FM Ashland/Mansfield - Country
• WQIO-FM Mount Vernon - Adult Contemporary
• WWBK-FM Mount Vernon - Top 40
• WBZW-FM Loudonville/Ashland - Top 40
• WYNT-FM Upper Sandusky - Oldies
• WDIF-FM Marion - Top 40
• WMRN-FM Marion - Country
• WFXN-FM Galion - Classic Rock
• WSWR-FM Mansfield - Oldies
• WYHT-FM Mansfield - Hot AC

WQIO was also the set of call letters used by 1060 AM in Canton, Ohio, during its brief but successful run as a top 40 station in the late 1970s. The station was known as "Q-10."

[edit] External links

• Radio network homepage (Type in ZIP code 43050)