WMRI


WMRI is a radio station broadcasting a Sports format. Licensed to Marion, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Muncie-Marion area. The station is currently owned by Hoosier AM/FM LLC and features programming from ESPN Radio.

History

WMRI went on the air in 1955; it was initially owned by Chronicle Publishing Company but was soon sold. WMRI later spawned an FM station at 106.9 MHz.
From 1970 to 2006, the station was known as WGOM, with a Top 40 format before automating in the late 1970s. Rich Coolman, Stan Weil and Dave Gross "The Mad Doctor" were some of WGOM's on-air personalities. At the time of the 1970 call letter switch, the station's Program Director was Ken Roberts, and on-air talent included Ed Shannon, Craig Weston, Chuck Anthony and Mel Ballinger as News Director. The station's call letter change was accompanied by a new ID/jingle package from the renowned PAMS agency in Dallas, Texas, emulating the sound of WLS Chicago and other "top-40" era stations. Station Manager was Louis Disinger.
Having transformed the AM station, Roberts departed for Ontario, California in late 1971, with Jonathan Morgan arriving from Tucson, Arizona as the new Program Director. In this period, WMRI-FM continued its automated music service with pre-programmed tapes. The following year, Arnold, Brimmer, and Ballinger all departed for Tucson albeit to different stations; Arnold and Ballinger went to KCUB, and Brimmer went to KIKX.
WGOM's Top 40 format competed with Muncie's WERK and the former WHUT throughout the 1970s. Subsequent formats since the WGOM days included adult standards and Southern Gospel prior to the current ESPN Radio sports format; the WMRI callsign was reinstated in 2006.