Independently owned by Wow Media, LLC, the station streamed an adult album alternative (AAA) format promoted as "timeless rock" and was co-founded and programmed by veteran radio executive/consultant John Gorman.

Due to expenses exceeding revenue for years, and then the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic both regionally and nationally, oWOW Radio announced its shutdown in September 2020, dropped all on-air staff on October 2, 2020, and ceased operations entirely on January 17, 2021.

[5] Funding for oWOW Radio was acquired through private investors, including Bass Energy, traditional bank loans, and a small business grant from the city of Cleveland.

[7] A frequent critic of traditional radio, Gorman compared terrestrial AM and FM stations to fax machines, "a dated appliance in the digital age" unable to win back former consumers now opting to use streaming platforms.

[13] Daryl Rowland of The Huffington Post suggested broadcasters and entrepreneurs could take notice if oWOW Radio were to be successful, saying "something could be in the air -- or in the fiber-optic cables and cell signals".

In making the announcement, Gorman stressed that while oWOW Radio enjoyed a significant increase in listenership when the pandemic hit, the loss of advertising made it "a moot point".

[20] The extension came following feedback from listeners on social media, along with a modest increase in advertising and revenue from an oWOW compilation album that featured locally-sourced bands and musical talent.

[21] oWOW Radio ended all operations on January 17, 2021, after these funds were exhausted; Gorman noted to The Plain Dealer that he was already in the process of planning out future broadcasting projects with Pappas.