WMRI

History

The WMRI call letters were previously used on its FM station at 106.9 MHz (the present day WXXC.) Prior to adopting the current callsign, the station was known as WGOM (for "Giant of Music", inspired by locally born James Dean's final movie "Giant") with a Top 40 format before automating in the late 1970s. Rich Coolman, Stan Weil and Dave Gross "The Mad Doctor"(now at WLDE in Ft. Wayne) were some of WGOM's on-air personalities. The WMRI calls were used originally at 860 AM in the 1950s and 60s before the call letter and format switch to WGOM in 1970. At the time of the call letter switch, the station's Program Director was Ken Roberts, on-air talent included Ed Shannon (Steve Brimmer), Craig Weston (Robert Skaff), Chuck Anthony (Doug Fredlund) 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. The station was emulating the sound of WLS-Chicago and other "top-40" era stations. Having transformed the AM station Roberts departed for Ontario, California in late 1971 with Jonathan Morgan (Jim Arnold) arriving from Tucson Arizona (KHUT) as the new Program Director. In this period, WMRI-FM continued its automated music service with pre-programmed tapes. The following year, Arnold with Brimmer and Ballinger all departed for Tucson, Arizona albeit different stations; Arnold & Ballinger to KCUB and Brimmer to KIKX. WGOM's Top 40 format competed with Muncie's WERK (then at 990 AM) and the former WHUT(now WGNR/1470 AM in Anderson throughout the 1970s. Subsequent formats since the WGOM days have included adult standards and Southern Gospel prior to the current ESPN Radio sports format.