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WZOM (105.7 FM) is a
radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
broadcasting a
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
format. Licensed to
Defiance, Ohio Defiance is a city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States, about southwest of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo and northeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Ohio's northwestern corner. The population was 16,494 at the 2010 United State ...
, United States, the station is currently owned by iHeartMedia. In February 2002, the station changed from an
Oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music (broadly characterized as classic rock and pop rock) from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as ...
format to the current
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
format.


History

WZOM signed on the air on August 25, 1989. Its first official programming was a high school football game between Defiance High School and Napoleon High School. The game featured the return of local sports announcer Marv Sebring. Sebring was known for a colorful call of local sports and he had an amazing memory for local sports history. For the next two days the station ran a tape loop of three oldies, three country and three random songs asking residents to vote for their favorite format. The oldies format was a fan favorite with a three to one margin over other choices. At 6AM on Monday August 28, 1989 the Zoomer kicked off with a "Classic Rock 40" oldies format. The original staff members were Rich Gates, Bob James, Andie Germann as the morning team, Rich Vargo afternoons, Larry Miller in the evenings. The remainder of the day was basically music from a syndicated music source but the station was so well programmed that community members would want to visit the on-air personalities that were from Dallas Texas. The transitions were seamless. The first owner of the station was James Phillips a local insurance man and small town, part-time polka announcer. The corporate name was The Great Wireless Talking Machine, inc. Phillips had hopes of bringing polka music to the air in Defiance. His consultant Chris Cage (WBNS, WBYR) recommended hiring Robert Krouse as general manager. Krouse decided on the oldies format from the start since no local station was programming the format at that time. Krouse left the station in July 1991 at that time Phillips added talk to part of the programming and within a year sold the station In a distress sale to Richard McBroom owner of WNDH and WONW. Later the station was sold to Clear Channel.


References


External links

* {{IHeartMedia ZOM IHeartMedia radio stations Country radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1989 1989 establishments in Ohio