# Articles of Incorporation — Marion Broadcasting Company (April 22, 1940) - Link: https://wmrnhistory.com/accession/wmrn-2026-039/ - Published: 2026-09-29T17:03:02-04:00 - Author: Brendon Hamblin ## Document ## Identification & Description ### Title Articles of Incorporation” — Marion Broadcasting Company (April 22, 1940) ### Description * ![](https://i0.wp.com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/articles-1940- page1-scaled.jpg?resize=1207%2C2560&ssl=1) * ![](https://i0.wp.com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/articles-1940- page2-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C2322&ssl=1) * ![](https://i0.wp.com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/articles-1940- page3-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C2322&ssl=1) * ![](https://i0.wp.com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/articles-1940- page4-scaled.jpg?resize=2560%2C2296&ssl=1)   This document formally established the legal corporate entity responsible for constructing and operating radio station WMRN in Marion, Ohio. Filed with the Ohio Secretary of State and recorded in Volume 471, Page 131, the incorporation outlines the company’s structure, authority, and financial foundation. The filing authorized 250 shares of no-par-value stock and established an initial capitalization of $15,000. Named incorporators include Robert T. Mason of Fremont, Ohio, along with Fred E. Guthery and Howard F. Guthery. The Articles granted broad operational authority, including the ownership and operation of broadcasting facilities, advertising services, and related business activities. Notably, the document references television and facsimile services, reflecting forward- looking legal language common in corporate filings of the period. This piece provides insight into the earliest stage of WMRN’s development, documenting the station’s transition from concept to legally established enterprise prior to its sign-on later that year on December 23, 1940. _This document is preserved as part of the WMRN Radio History Archive._ ## Transcription / OCR _Verified visible-text extract from the accession scans. This captures the main legal and discovery text; a final proofing pass can still refine the full diplomatic transcription._ Read extracted text ``` OCR / Visible Text Extract Accession: WMRN-2026-039 Document: Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company Filed: April 22, 1940 Filing No.: 179100 Recorded: Volume 471, Page 131, Records of Incorporations, Office of the Secretary of State of Ohio Note: This is a verified visible-text extract from the document images. It captures the main legal and discovery text, but is not yet a fully proofread diplomatic transcription of every printed form word. Page 1 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF The Marion Broadcasting Company. Page 2 Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company. The undersigned, a majority of whom are citizens of the United States, desiring to form a corporation, for profit, under the General Corporation Act of Ohio, do hereby certify: FIRST. The name of said corporation shall be The Marion Broadcasting Company. SECOND. The place in Ohio where its principal office is to be located is Marion, Marion County. THIRD. The purpose or purposes for which it is formed are: Owning, leasing and operating radio broadcasting, television and facsimile stations, disseminating advertising, entertainment and amusements of all kinds and in any manner; carrying on a general advertising business, buying, selling, leasing, and operating real estate and buildings thereon; executing, making, giving and performing any and every agreement or contract necessary or desirable for carrying on any or all of the business of said corporation; and doing everything necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of the purposes herein enumerated and which shall at any time appear expedient for the benefit or protection of said corporation, or its rights, property or assets, or calculated to enhance the value thereof; and to do any and all of the things herein set forth to the same extent as a natural person might or could do, and in furtherance and not in limitation of the general powers conferred by the laws of the State of Ohio, and also to do and perform all other things that it legally may do. Page 3 FOURTH. The maximum number of shares which the corporation is authorized to have outstanding is two hundred fifty (250), all of which shall be with no par value. FIFTH. The amount of capital with which the corporation will begin business is fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00). IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd day of April, 1940. Robert T. Mason Fred E. Guthery Howard F. Guthery State of Ohio, County of Marion, ss. Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public, in and for said county, this 22nd day of April, 1940, the above named Robert T. Mason, Fred E. Guthery, and Howard F. Guthery, who each severally acknowledged the signing of the foregoing articles of incorporation to be his free act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Witness my hand and official seal on the day and year last aforesaid. Enid Little, Notary Public. Page 4 United States of America, State of Ohio, Office of the Secretary of State. I, Geo. M. Neffner, Secretary of State, of the State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing is an exemplified copy, carefully compared by me with the original record now in my official custody as Secretary of State, and found to be true and correct, of the Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company. Filed in this office on the 22nd day of April, 1940, and recorded in Volume 471, Page 131 of the Records of Incorporations. Witness my hand and official seal at Columbus, Ohio, this 22nd day of April, 1940. Geo. M. Neffner, Secretary of State. ``` [**_View full exhibit →_**](https://wmrnhistory.com/articles-incorporation/) _Part of the Founding of WMRN Collection_   ### Accession Number WMRN-2026-039 ### Object Type [Document](https://wmrnhistory.com/archive/?taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bcompare%5D=IN&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Btaxonomy%5D=tnc_tax_2741&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D%5B0%5D=234) ### Date 22/04/1940 ### Sort Year 1940 ## Content and Context ### People [Fred E. Guthery](https://wmrnhistory.com/archive/?taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bcompare%5D=IN&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Btaxonomy%5D=tnc_tax_2788&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D%5B0%5D=333) | [Howard F. Guthery](https://wmrnhistory.com/archive/?taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bcompare%5D=IN&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Btaxonomy%5D=tnc_tax_2788&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D%5B0%5D=335) | [Robert T. Mason](https://wmrnhistory.com/archive/?taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bcompare%5D=IN&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Btaxonomy%5D=tnc_tax_2788&taxquery%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D%5B0%5D=336) ### Archive Collection(s) Founding of WMRN Collection ### Keywords Documents ## Rights and Access ### Access / Use Restrictions For research and educational use. Courtesy credit to Marion County Historical Society recommended where applicable. ### Rights Status Rights Unknown ## Digital Preservation / Media ### Transcription / OCR Text OCR / Visible Text Extract Accession: WMRN-2026-039 Document: Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company Filed: April 22, 1940 Filing No.: 179100 Recorded: Volume 471, Page 131, Records of Incorporations, Office of the Secretary of State of Ohio Note: This is a verified visible-text extract from the document images. It captures the main legal and discovery text, but is not yet a fully proofread diplomatic transcription of every printed form word. Page 1 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF The Marion Broadcasting Company. Page 2 Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company. The undersigned, a majority of whom are citizens of the United States, desiring to form a corporation, for profit, under the General Corporation Act of Ohio, do hereby certify: FIRST. The name of said corporation shall be The Marion Broadcasting Company. SECOND. The place in Ohio where its principal office is to be located is Marion, Marion County. THIRD. The purpose or purposes for which it is formed are: Owning, leasing and operating radio broadcasting, television and facsimile stations, disseminating advertising, entertainment and amusements of all kinds and in any manner; carrying on a general advertising business, buying, selling, leasing, and operating real estate and buildings thereon; executing, making, giving and performing any and every agreement or contract necessary or desirable for carrying on any or all of the business of said corporation; and doing everything necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of the purposes herein enumerated and which shall at any time appear expedient for the benefit or protection of said corporation, or its rights, property or assets, or calculated to enhance the value thereof; and to do any and all of the things herein set forth to the same extent as a natural person might or could do, and in furtherance and not in limitation of the general powers conferred by the laws of the State of Ohio, and also to do and perform all other things that it legally may do. Page 3 FOURTH. The maximum number of shares which the corporation is authorized to have outstanding is two hundred fifty (250), all of which shall be with no par value. FIFTH. The amount of capital with which the corporation will begin business is fifteen thousand dollars( $15,000.00). IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd day of April, 1940. Robert T. Mason Fred E. Guthery Howard F. Guthery State of Ohio, County of Marion, ss. Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public, in and for said county, this 22nd day of April, 1940, the above named Robert T. Mason, Fred E. Guthery, and Howard F. Guthery, who each severally acknowledged the signing of the foregoing articles of incorporation to be his free act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Witness my hand and official seal on the day and year last aforesaid. Enid Little, Notary Public. Page 4 United States of America, State of Ohio, Office of the Secretary of State. I, Geo. M. Neffner, Secretary of State, of the State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing is an exemplified copy, carefully compared by me with the original record now in my official custody as Secretary of State, and found to be true and correct, of the Articles of Incorporation of The Marion Broadcasting Company. Filed in this office on the 22nd day of April, 1940, and recorded in Volume 471, Page 131 of the Records of Incorporations. Witness my hand and official seal at Columbus, Ohio, this 22nd day of April, 1940. Geo. M. Neffner, Secretary of State. ## Attachments * ![Original front cover of the April 22, 1940 Articles of Incorporation of the Marion Broadcasting Company on the WMRN-blue studio background.](https://i0.wp. com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WMRN-2026-039-%E2%80%94-Original- Source-Photograph-%E2%80%94-Approved-WMRN-Blue-Featured-Social-Image.jpg?resize =275%2C275&ssl=1) * ![Original front cover of the April 22, 1940 Articles of Incorporation of the Marion Broadcasting Company on the WMRN-blue studio background.](https://i0.wp. com/wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WMRN-2026-039-%E2%80%94-Original- Source-Photograph-%E2%80%94-Approved-WMRN-Blue-Featured-Social-Image.jpg?fit= 1200%2C630&ssl=1) * ![Selection of authentic historic photographs or document pages held under WMRN- 2026-039, arranged on a WMRN-blue museum-style background.](https://i0.wp.com/ wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WMRN-2026-039-%E2%80%94-WMRN-blue- multi-image-archival-featuredsocial-share.jpg?resize=275%2C275&ssl=1) * WMRN-2026-039 — WMRN-blue multi-image archival featured/social share * ![Selection of authentic historic photographs or document pages held under WMRN- 2026-039, arranged on a WMRN-blue museum-style background.](https://i0.wp.com/ wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WMRN-2026-039-%E2%80%94-WMRN-blue- multi-image-archival-featuredsocial-share.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1)