View source for KBEM-FM

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name             = KBEM-FM
| logo             = KBEM.png
| image            = Falcon Heights transmitter.jpg
| caption          = KBEM-FM antenna on the [[KUOM]] tower
| city             = [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
| area             = [[Minneapolis-St. Paul]]
| branding         = ''Jazz88''
| frequency        = 88.5 [[Megahertz|MHz]]
| airdate          = [[1970 in radio|1970]]
| format           = [[Jazz]]
| erp              = 2,900 [[watt]]s
| haat             = {{convert|146|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class            = A
| facility_id      = 4275
| callsign_meaning = '''B'''oard of '''E'''ducation '''M'''inneapolis
| former_callsigns =
| owner            = [[Minneapolis Public Schools]]
| webcast          = [http://player.streamguys.com/kbem/sgplayer/player.php Listen Live]
| website          = [http://www.jazz88.fm/ jazz88.fm] 
| affiliations     = [[AMPERS]]
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}

'''KBEM-FM''' (88.5 [[FM band|FM]], "Jazz88") is a [[public radio]] [[radio station|station]] broadcasting a [[jazz]] format based in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]], United States, the station serves the [[Minneapolis-St. Paul]] area. The station is operated by the [[Minneapolis Public Schools]] system and has been partnering since 1989 with the [[Minnesota Department of Transportation]] (Mn/DOT), providing [[traffic congestion]] reports for commuters in the [[Minneapolis-St. Paul]] [[metropolitan area]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsline.dot.state.mn.us/archive/14/May/14.html|title = Newsline - Minnesota Department of Transportation Employee News}}</ref>  KBEM also broadcasts live headliner performances from the [[Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival|Twin Cities Jazz Festival]] each June.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com/17th-annual-twin-cities-jazz-festival-fills-outdoor-stages-indoor-clubs-throughout-saint-paul/|title=17th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival Fills Outdoor Stages, Indoor Clubs throughout Saint Paul - Twin Cities Jazz Festival|date=2015-05-13|work=Twin Cities Jazz Festival|access-date=2017-05-31|language=en-US}}</ref>  KBEM is a member of [[Minnesota]]'s [[AMPERS]] network.

KBEM's studios are located on James Avenue North in Minneapolis, while its transmitter is located in [[Falcon Heights, Minnesota|Falcon Heights]].

==History==
KBEM first took to the air in October [[1970 in radio|1970]].  Its broadcast studios were originally in Vocational High School in downtown Minneapolis (since converted to an office building) and has, since [[1983 in radio|1983]], been located at [[North Community High School]].  The current jazz format began in [[1985 in radio|1985]]. Students assist with the station's operations during the day, delivering news reports and other programming. Minneapolis School Board meetings and Minneapolis City Council meetings were carried live for over 20 years.

Graduates of KBEM's broadcast instructional program have gone on to work at [[WCCO (AM)|WCCO]], [[KQRS-FM]], [[KFAI]], [[Minnesota Public Radio]], [[KDWB]], [[KTCZ]], [[KPCC (radio station)|KPCC]] in Los Angeles, [[KQED-FM|KQED]] in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]], [[Sirius Satellite Radio]], [[XM Satellite Radio]], [[WHYI]] in Miami, [[WWZZ]] in Washington, D.C., [[KHMX]] in Houston and other media such as the ''[[Star Tribune]]'' and ''[[City Pages]]''.

[[Minnesota Public Radio]] had attempted to purchase the station in 1979 as part of an attempt to split its growing network into [[European classical music|classical music]] and [[talk radio]] components, but the deal fell through.  Instead, the organization acquired [[WLOL (AM)|WLOL]] 1330 [[AM band|AM]] in [[1980 in radio|1980]].  A decade later, it purchased WLOL 99.5 FM (now [[KSJN]]).

In late [[2004 in radio|2004]], it was announced that [[Minnesota Department of Transportation|Mn/DOT]] would be cutting its funding of the station as a cost-saving measure.  This funding amounted to $418,000 annually at the time, although the contract extended until March 2005.  The money accounted for roughly half of the station's budget, so KBEM launched an emergency [[fundraising]] drive.  By January [[2005 in radio|2005]], the drive had gathered $45,000 from the public toward a goal of $138,000 to cover the station until the end of its [[fiscal year]] (mid-2005).  The school system hoped to roughly double membership from 4,000 to 8,000. In a surprise move, [[Clear Channel Communications]] donated $25,000 to the station and ran fundraising announcements on the company's local stations, including [[Cities 97]] and its former [[smooth jazz]] outlet [[KFXN-FM|KJZI]] (now KFXN-FM). Sufficient public opposition to the proposed end of the MnDOT partnership caused the agency to continue the relationship, but at a reduced rate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.minnpost.com/arts-arena/2010/10/happy-birthday-kbem|title=Happy birthday, KBEM|work=MinnPost|access-date=2017-05-31|language=en}}</ref>  KBEM is the only all-jazz radio station in the Twin Cities.

==See also==
* [[List of jazz radio stations in the United States]]

==References==
*{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Peiken |work=[[Saint Paul Pioneer Press]] |title=Jazz station sounds optimistic note |date=February 20, 2005}}

;Specific
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jazz88.fm/ KBEM Jazz88 official website]

{{FM station data|4275|KBEM-FM}}

{{Minneapolis-St. Paul Radio}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|44.998|N|93.189|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Minneapolis–Saint Paul]]
[[Category:Independent Public Radio]]
[[Category:Jazz radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1970]]
[[Category:1970 establishments in Minnesota]]