“The bottom line about radio is you can get in your car… and turn it on and hear the radio station. You don’t have to have a streaming service. You don’t have to have a data plan. You don’t have to have any of that. It’s free,” said Paul Jellison, the General Chairman of WIOH 95.9 FM. WIOH aired for the first time in June of 2024. The radio station, initiated by Paul and the Clinton County Amateur Radio Association (CCARA), aims to give Wilmington a “local voice.” They play rock, oldies, and more. They also air two weather updates per hour. According to Paul, WIOH tries to keep the music “appropriate for business” during the day to encourage local businesses to tune in. In addition to the radio channel, they also stream the station on their website.
The idea for the station started in October of 2023 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that they would be opening a window for organizations to register for a low-power FM radio station. Paul approached the CCARA and proposed the idea of a low-power, Wilmington-focused radio station. After receiving assistance from an attorney, they obtained a license for WIOH.
In February of 2024, they received a construction permit and then began airing in June of the same year. WIOH’s studio is located at Paul’s house. The amateur radio association has also partnered with the City of Wilmington to place the radio station’s repeater, an amateur radio filter, on a city water tower by Ahresty.
WIOH is hoping to cover local news and sporting events in the future. In addition, the CCARA members provide a pool of trained operators to work with the National Weather Service, and are able to help in times of severe weather emergencies.
The station is self-funded and is looking for donations, sponsors, and partners to continue funding the programs and music licenses necessary, according to Paul. Listen to Paul’s full story on episode 64 of The Real Change Podcast. Listen to WIOH 95.9 FM at wioh.org.