KBYU-FM
 | |
| City | Provo, Utah |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah |
| Branding | Classical 89 |
| Frequency |
89.1 MHz (also on HD Radio) 89.1-HD2 for BYU Radio |
| Translator(s) |
K208BZ 89.5 MHz Spanish Fork, Utah K295BW 106.9 MHz Nephi, Utah K241BV 96.1 MHz Milford, Utah K262BM 100.3 MHz Cedar City, Utah K264BM 100.7 MHz Ivins, Utah |
| First air date | May 9, 1960 (at 88.9) (originally carrier current 1946-1960) |
| Format | Classical music |
| ERP | 30,000 watts |
| HAAT | 907 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 6825 |
| Callsign meaning | Brigham Young University |
| Former callsigns | KBRG (May–November 1960) |
| Former frequencies | 88.9 MHz (1960-1988) |
| Affiliations | Public Radio International, BBC World Service, American Public Media |
| Owner | Brigham Young University |
| Sister stations | KBYU-TV, KUMT |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | classical89.org |
KBYU-FM is a classical music radio station run by Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Operating at 89.1 MHz, it is known on-air as Classical 89. It transmits at an effective radiated power of 32 kW. Its transmitting tower is located on a peak of the Oquirrh Mountains northwest of the university campus, and southwest of Salt Lake City.
The station previously broadcast at a frequency of 88.9 MHz (during which time its nickname was Classical 88). The frequency was shifted in 1988 by directive of the FCC, to alleviate interference for nearby frequencies used for aerial navigation, and to allow for a new full-power station to be built on 99.5 in the Salt Lake market. Classical 89 also has the following translators: 89.5 FM K208BZ Spanish Fork, 106.9 FM K295BW Nephi, 96.1 FM K241BV Milford, 100.3 FM K262BM Cedar City, 100.7 FM K264BM Ivins.
KBYU began as a carrier current station at 660 AM in 1946. It became available across Provo and the surrounding area in 1948 by using the city's power lines as an antenna. In 1959, BYU was granted a commercial FM license. The new station signed on for the first time on May 9, 1960 under the temporary calls KBRG. After negotiations to get the KBYU calls from a liberty ship, the call letters changed to KBYU on November 9, 1960.
The station presently broadcasts around the clock, having gone to that schedule in 1986. Most of its on-air staff consists of professionals, although students do cover some weeknight and weekend on air shifts. Students also play a key role in behind-the-scenes functions.
The station is operated as a non-profit corporation, and employs three to four fundraisers during the year to raise a portion of its operating revenue. Other funding sources include Brigham Young University, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and local underwriting by businesses and arts organizations.
In 2006, KBYU-FM began broadcasting an HD Radio signal along with its main signal, and subsequently began carrying sports and talk programming from sister station BYU Radio on its HD2 signal.[1]
On October 23, 2017, Brigham Young University announced that KBYU-FM and KBYU-TV would drop their existing programming and become full-time outlets for BYU Radio and BYUtv respectively. The planned flip of KBYU was met with criticism from listeners, as it was the only terrestrial radio station in the market devoted to classical music. On April 26, 2018, the university backtracked on its original plan, and announced that it would purchase 107.9 KUMT to use as a full-time outlet for BYU Radio instead.[2][3]
References
- ↑ http://www.hdradio.com/stations
- ↑ "After protests, Utah's KBYU-FM will keep playing classical music". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
- ↑ Pierce, Scott D. (October 23, 2017). "KBYU-TV will no longer be a PBS station in 2018 — and KBYU-FM will abandon classical music". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 23, 2017.