WCVO

WCVO
Gahanna, Ohio;
Broadcast area	Columbus, Ohio
Frequency	104.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	104.9 The River
Programming
Format	Analog/HD1: Christian contemporary
Ownership
Owner	One Connection Media Group; (River Radio Ministries);
Sister stations	WZCP, WZNP, WQKT, WFCO
History
First air date	1972; 52 years ago
Call sign meaning	Christian Voice of Central Ohio
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	11138
Class	A
ERP	6,000 watts
HAAT	95.5 meters (313 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	riverradio.com

WCVO is a radio station in Gahanna, Ohio, United States located at 104.9 MHz broadcasting family-friendly Christian music as "104.9 the River" in Central Ohio. The station was started by the Christian Voice of Central Ohio (CVCO), which was incorporated in 1964. In 2008, the parent company changed its name to One Connection Media Group. Since 2015, the organization has called itself River Radio Ministries.^[2] 104.9 the River's slogan is "Uplifting and Encouraging".^[3]^[4]

History

WCVO began broadcasting with 3,000 watts on 104.9 FM in 1972, with the studios and tower located at 4400 Reynoldsburg New Albany Road, just south of Ohio 161. An illuminated cross at the top of the tower made the station's facilities easy to locate for several miles. The station's facilities remained located here until 2011, when they relocated the studios to 881 East Johnstown Road. The transmitter is now located along Hamilton Road, broadcasting at 6,000 watts.

The station was the first Christian station to serve Columbus and area communities. For over 25 years the station broadcast a mix of Christian talk, preaching broadcasts, and Christian music of various genres. In 1982, a sister station with a similar format, WCVZ 92.7 FM was started in Zanesville, Ohio.

Christian Voice of Central Ohio, Inc. (CVCO) valued prayer to the point of dedicating a room in their facilities as a "Prayer Chapel", and broadcast a daily "Prayer Line" program that invited listeners to call and share prayer needs, which were lifted in prayer by volunteer hosts.

CVCO is a non-profit 501c3 organization, and has relied throughout its history on donations from listeners and business underwriters. Each year a "Sharathon" event invited participation by listeners.

In April 2016, the Ohio Supreme Court determined that WCVO-FM is considered a place of "public worship" and therefore exempt from property taxes, overturning an earlier decision by Ohio tax commissioner Joseph Testa.^[5]

WCVO broadcasts in the HD Radio format.^[6]

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WCVO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/fm-profile/WCVO/ownership-reports
^ Uplifting and Encouraging, 104.9 the River. "LinkedIn Profile". 104.9 the River – Uplifting and Encouraging. Retrieved 14 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Uplifting and Encouraging, 104.9 the River. "Official Website". 104.9 the River – Uplifting and Encouraging. Retrieved 14 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Ludlow, Randy. "Court: Christian radio station tax-exempt as place of worship". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
^ https://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=27 HD Radio Guide for Columbus, Ohio