Local radio station unveils new name, same message
“RISE…
R – Reflect God’s Love,
I – Inspire Hope,
S – Share His Word,
E – Encourage Hearts.”
While approaching its 10-year anniversary in the upcoming months, local radio station Shine FM unveiled a new name Friday — announcing that it is rebranding as Rise FM — along with adding a new aspect to its mission of “inspiring hope” for its listeners and the community.
Founder and General Manager Mark Boyer said while the Christian radio station’s name is changing, its ministry, music and overall mission will remain the same.
“God provided us with a new challenge to force us to grow as a station, and we are rising to the occasion,” he said this week.
“When we sat down as a staff to discuss a new name, our focus was finding one that would fit well with the current state of our world. But also a name that would be ‘a call to action’ for believers.
“From the Bible, Ephesians 5:14 says, ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
“The foundation of our faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus. As the saying goes, ‘He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!’”
Rise FM will continue to provide local programming and community support that reflect God’s love, share His Word, and encourage hearts, while incorporating the new aspect in its mission statement.
“Our new mission as an acrostic for RISE…R – Reflect God’s Love, I – Inspire Hope, S – Share His Word, E – Encourage Hearts,” Boyer said.
“I believe God is calling us to bigger and better things…for such a time as this. Now is the time to be an agent of light and love in this very broken world. It is time to RISE UP!”
“Our staff and board are excited about our new name and expect God to continue to use our stations to be a voice of hope across our community. We will continue to bring the message of God’s love and salvation to thousands each day. We will continue to be a place for you to find calm, comfort and encouragement.”
In the spring of 2012, Shine FM was launched from a studio based in downtown Bellefontaine, with two radio signals — 88.5 FM Kenton and 88.9 FM Bellefontaine, which continue to operate today.
Prior to the station’s launch, Christian radio coverage of the Logan County area was neither reliable nor consistent, Boyer explained in an Examiner article at that time.
“There are about seven Christian radio stations that provide some amount of coverage here, but this area is only on the fringe of their coverage areas. As a result, it’s difficult to get a clear and consistent signal from these stations,” he previously said in 2012.
“The two things that will set us apart is that you will be able to hear us and you will be able to see us. We’ll offer a consistent signal and a consistent presence in the community.”
Following its founding in the local community, the station received the 2018 Non-Profit of the Year Award from the Logan County Chamber of Commerce.
The radio station also experienced a large amount of growth during the past 1 1/2 years, expanding into five new communities during that time, Boyer said.
In February of 2020, 88.9 FM Tiffin was added to the line-up. Then that November, the Mansfield office was added and that facility now serves the following radio signals: 90.7 FM Mansfield, 91.1 FM Ashland, 102.7 FM Wooster and 90.1 FM Canton.
In addition to this expanded reach, Rise FM has recently moved its Bellefontaine office into a new space along North Hayes Street from its former rented location on County Road 11.
“This has been a busier than normal year for the station,” Boyer said. “In addition to changing our name, we purchased the building at 325 N. Hayes Street in Bellefontaine, next to Dairy Queen.
“God not only provided us with a building we could purchase, but one with additional square footage and great visibility. We moved in at the end of October and are slowly getting settled.
“We look forward to having an open house in the spring as we celebrate our 10th anniversary of broadcasting.”
In addition to the daily radio broadcasts on the local airwaves, Rise FM will continue to host its popular concerts in the Logan County area in 2022.
“Our biggest event each year is Rock the Lake, which brings an average of 5,000 people to Indian Lake on the first weekend of August at Old Field Beach,” Boyer said of the free show. “Our headliner for Rock The Lake 2022 on Aug. 6 is American Idol Season 8 finalist Danny Gokey.”
Rise FM’s second largest local concert happens each year during the West Liberty Labor Day Festival. The free concert on Sunday night brings an average attendance of 2,500. On Sept. 4, 2022, the award-winning band Cain will be featured in concert at the festival.
To continue the 10th anniversary celebration, the station will host a special concert on April 23 featuring Chicago-based group Vertical Worship at The Holland Theatre in Bellefontaine.
For more information about programming, upcoming concerts and ministry donations, the station’s new website is risefmohio.com.
“Your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated as we make this transition,” Boyer said about Rise FM. “We look forward to an amazing 2022 and beyond with and an even bigger platform to inspire hope through our station.”