WHJM

WHJM, "Radio Maria" (for "Hearts of Jesus and Mary") is a non-commercial FM station operating at 88.7 mHz licensed to Anna, Ohio. It is a repeater station of KJMJ (AM) 580 in Alexandria, Louisiana (where its local Catholic diocese is also headquartered) and is owned by Radio Maria Inc. airing inspirational music and Catholic programming for the Upper Miami Valley region of Shelby, Auglaize, Allen, Logan, Mercer, Miami and surrounding counties in West Central Ohio. It is part of the international broadcast ministry of The World Family of Radio Maria, which is based in Italy and broadcasts in over thirty countries in thirteen languages worldwide. The station also audiostreams from its website for listeners outside its immediate signal area.

History

A group of New York City-based volunteers known as Friends of Radio Maria which operates an Italian language FM subcarrier (of WKTU) acquired the original funding and construction permit for the new station in 2001 by means of a New York-based fundraiser called a "Mariathon." The construction permit however initially sat dormant until it was discovered by a group of Dayton area volunteers in 2005 looking for a Miami Valley frequency to start a local Catholic station. After a tower site was found, WHJM joined the Radio Maria family on June 8, 2006 while volunteers feverishly proceeded with preparations to get on the air before the construction permit was to have expired.