WBHM
WBHM (FM 90.3) is a public radio station licensed to UAB and Birmingham's NPR affiliate. The station primarily broadcasts news and entertainment programming from National Public Radio and Public Radio International, with classical music from American Public Media's "Classical C24" in the evenings.
WBHM supplements its syndicated news programming with locally-produced reports from Andrew Yeager (local host for "Morning Edition"), and Esther Ciammachilli (local host for "All Things Considered").
WBHM's only full-length, in-house, locally produced program was Tapestry, produced by former news director Tanya Ott, program director Michael Krall and hosted by Greg Bass. The station's general manager is Chuck Holmes, who succeeded Scott Hanley in January 2017.
On a sub-carrier channel, WBHM operates the Alabama Radio Reading Service, which broadcasts readings from the Birmingham News and popular magazines for blind and visually-impaired residents of the Birmingham area through a grant from the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Gadsden's WSGN-FM operated primarily as a re-broadcaster of WBHM's signal.
In 2021 WBHM was named "Radio Station of the Year" by the Alabama Broadcasters Association, and presented with a national Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence for Small Market Radio by the Radio Television Digital News Association.
History
Huntsville pioneered public radio in Alabama in October 1976, with WBHM following just two months later. The station took over the former UAB Mathematics Building at 650 11th Street South. Engineer Bud Russell supervised the installation of broadcasting equipment. The station signed on at 1:00 PM on Sunday, December 5, with a broadcast of the national anthem performed by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
In 1987 WBHM extended its broadcast day to 24 hours, having previously signed on at 6:00 AM and signed off at midnight or 1:00 AM.
In June 2004, WBHM made significant changes to its programming, dropping 7 hours per week of classical music programs, including the live Saturday afternoon broadcast of the New York Metropolitan Opera. The airtime was filled with syndicated news, information and quiz-show programs.
In September, 2006, ratings and listenership data from Arbitron and Audience Research Analysis were reviewed and a decision was made to increase classical music programming from 100 to 108.5 hours per week by dropping some of the less-popular information and quiz shows, as well as a Celtic music show.
On March 31, 2008 classical music programming was reduced from 108.5 to 78.5 hours as the station's music source, the Los Angeles-based Classical Public Radio Network, ceased operations. The shift marked the first time that less than half of the weekly schedule was left to classical music programs. There are plans to add a full-time music option when the station moves to a high-definition digital broadcast in 2010.
In 2012 the station upgraded its broadcasting technology and infrastructure. In 2016 WBHM's general manager, who had formerly reported to an assistant vice president of marketing at UAB, began reporting directly to the university's chief communication officer.
In 2020 WBHM assumed the leadership role in the "Gulf States newsroom" collaboration with Mississippi Public Broadcasting and two local public radio stations in Louisiana. The newsroom, which is funded with grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio. is headed by a Birmingham-based managing editor.
Locally-produced programs
- "Marino on Music" hosted by Amerigo Marino, Sundays 7:30-8:00 PM, 1976–
- Bob Truett, Saturdays 7:30-8:00 AM
- "Tapestry", hosted by Greg Bass, Thursdays 6:30-7:30 PM, 2005–
Staff
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References
- McGuire, Pat (October 4, 1976) "Insistence on quality will be station director's goal." The Birmingham News
- Weaver, Emmett (December 6, 1976) "WBHM is new bright spot on radio." Birmingham Post-Herald
- Falk, Lawrence C. (January 1977) "How Birmingham Did It." The Charlotte Observer
- Huebner, Michael (September 8, 2006) "WBHM to add classical music, drop some shows". The Birmingham News
- Huebner, Michael (March 28, 2008) "WBHM radio station reduces airing of classical music." The Birmingham News
- "CPB, NPR Partner with Public Media Stations to Launch Gulf States Newsroom." (February 20, 2020) NPR.org press release
- Thomason, Shannon (August 17, 2021) "WBHM 90.3 FM wins national Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence." WBHM.org
External links
- WBHM website
- WBHM information at FCC.gov
- WBHM records at library.uab.edu