WMMA (AM)

The station signed on the air in {{Start date and age|1960|12|5}}.[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1977/C%20Section%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977%20P-6.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-5. Retrieved March 8, 2025.] Its original call sign was WIXI and it was a daytimer. It ran 5,000 watts but had to go off the air at night. It was ownered by the Jefferson Radio Company.{{cite book |title=1964 Broadcasting Yearbook |date=1964 |page=B-6 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S. |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc |location=Washington, DC}} The station's initial format included 45 hours per week of country & western music and 20 hours per week of what was then called "Negro" music.

The station was sold to the Birmingham Broadcasting Company in a transaction consummated on September 8, 1964.{{cite book |title=1967 Broadcasting Yearbook |date=1967 |page=B-6 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S. |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc |location=Washington, DC}} In 1965, the new owners had the station's call sign changed to WLPH. The station played country music through the late 1960s.

In 1971, WLPH transitioned to a religious radio format featuring preaching shows and Southern Gospel music.{{cite book |title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1973 |date=1973 |page=B-7 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S. |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc |location=Washington, DC}} The license holding company changed its name to the Alabama Religious Broadcasting Company to reflect the new direction for the station.

In March 1997, Alabama Religious Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to sell this station to Willis Broadcasting of Norfolk, Virginia, through its Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc., subsidiary. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 13, 1997, and the transaction was consummated on August 22, 1997.{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19970313EB) |url=http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_list.pl?Facility_id=726 |date=August 22, 1997}} The new owners shifted the music played on WLPH to Black Gospel.{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Garrison |url=http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/121680112523450.xml&coll=2 |work=Birmingham News |title=Catholic radio station goes on air |date=July 23, 2008}}

In July 2006, Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Davidson Broadcasting through the company's Davidson Media Station WLPH Licensee, LLC, subsidiary. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 8, 2006, and the transaction was consummated on November 3, 2006.{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20060713ADG) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1142007 |date=November 3, 2006}} The new owners had the station's call sign changed to WRLM on November 7, 2006. As WRLM, this station broadcast a Spanish language music format branded as "Latino Mix".{{cite news |first=Jimmy |last=DeButts |work=Birmingham Business Journal |title=Hispanic radio station launched |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2007/02/12/story3.html?from_rss=1 |date=February 9, 2007}}

In March 2008, Davidson Media Group LLC sold the station to Queen of Heaven Catholic Radio Inc. for a reported $575,000.{{cite news |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6550789.html |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Transactions 4/14/2008 |date=April 14, 2008}} The deal was approved by the FCC on May 29, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on June 12, 2008.{{cite web |publisher=FCC Media Bureau |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1240239 |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20080331AAB) |date=June 12, 2008}}

The station was assigned the WQOH call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on June 27, 2008.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=726&Callsign=WMMA|work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}} The station began broadcasting Catholic radio programming on July 21, 2008. The station honored the Blessed Virgin Mary with its call letters standing for "Queen of Heaven." The new owner obtained a construction permit for nighttime operation with the station power reduced to 28 watts.

On December 30, 2014, Queen of Heaven Radio donated WQOH to Divine Word Communications, another Catholic non-profit organization. WQOH, six other stations, and four translators were sold by Divine Word Communications to La Promesa Foundation, effective January 8, 2016. The purchase price was $1,073,907.59. In 2016, the call sign changed to WMMA. The call letters represent the name of the founder of the EWTN Catholic cable service, Mother Mary Angelica. An FM translator was added to allow listeners to tune in on the FM dial. It broadcasts at 97.9 MHz and covers Irondale along with adjacent communities.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.queenofheavenradio.com/ WQOH official website]

{{AM station data|726|WMMA}}

{{Birmingham Radio}}

{{Religious Radio Stations in Alabama}}

{{coord|33.5483|N|86.6656|W|source:wikidata|display=title}}

MMA (AM)

Category:Catholic radio stations

Category:Radio stations established in 1960

Category:1960 establishments in Alabama

MMA (AM)