# WMRN: “The Air of Difference” — Congressional Record Recognition, April 4, 1978

- Link: https://wmrnhistory.com/accession/wmrn-2026-080/
- Published: 2026-09-29T17:03:07-04:00
- Author: Brendon Hamblin

DocumentIdentification & DescriptionTitleWMRN: “The Air of Difference” — Congressional Record Recognition, April 4, 1978DescriptionOriginal Item <a href='" target="_blank">https://wmrnhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WMRN-The-Air-of-Difference-—-Congressional-Record-April-4-1978.jpg'> Congressional Record, April 4, 1978, Extensions of Remarks, page 8674, recognizing WMRN’s emergency service during the January 1978 blizzard. Description Congressional Record page dated April 4, 1978 containing remarks by U.S. Representative Clarence J. Brown recognizing the Marion Broadcasting Company and WMRN for maintaining communications during the January 26, 1978 blizzard. Brown’s remarks describe WMRN’s continued operation using standby power and commend station personnel for delivering news and emergency information despite the severe weather. The entry also reproduces two Marion newspaper editorials: “The Air of Difference,” from The Commentator, February 2, 1978, and “May God Bless,” from The Marion Star, January 29, 1978. Historical Significance This federal record provides unusually strong independent documentation of WMRN’s emergency-broadcasting role during one of the most severe winter storms in Ohio history. Unlike station advertising or internal promotional material, the recognition came from outside the station and was formally entered into the Congressional Record. The newspaper editorials preserved within the entry also document local reaction to WMRN’s service during the crisis and describe the station as an essential source of communication while electricity and other services were disrupted. Source & Provenance Digital page image from the official U.S. Government Publishing Office GovInfo scan of the Congressional Record, April 4, 1978, Extensions of Remarks, page 8674. No physical original is represented by this accession. Rights & Use Note The Congressional Record is a U.S. Government publication; however, the page includes reproduced newspaper editorials that may retain separate underlying rights. The digital research copy is preserved for historical, research, and educational use with full source attribution. Exhibit Label WMRN: “The Air of Difference.” April 4, 1978. Congressional Record recognition of WMRN’s emergency communication service during the January 1978 blizzard, including contemporary Marion newspaper editorials. Accession NumberWMRN-2026-080Object TypePublicationDate1978-04-04Sort Year1978ProgramsThe CommentatorOrganizationsMarion Broadcasting Company | Marion StarCreator / ManufacturerU.S. Government Publishing Office / GovInfoContent and ContextPeopleClarence J. BrownStations / BrandsWMRN Radio | WMRN-AM 1490 | WMRN-FM 106.9Archive Collection(s)WMRN Editorial and Public Affairs CollectionAttachments