WBHM
Encyclopedia
WBHM is a radio station
broadcasting a News Talk Information format during the daytime and mostly classical music
overnight. Licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
, USA, the station serves the Birmingham area and through repeater WSGN also serves the Gadsden
area. The station is licensed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham
, where it maintains its studios. WBHM features programing from American Public Media
, National Public Radio and Public Radio International
..
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. The other public radio stations in Alabama also offer the service, provided through a grant by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.
beat Birmingham, the state's largest city, in getting Alabama's first public radio station in October 1976 (the present WLRH), WBHM did not follow far behind, beginning operations on December 5. WBHM became Birmingham's first full-time classical station since the demise of a commercial FM outlet, WSFM, which gave way to the present WDJC-FM
in 1967
.
Some jazz
and folk music
programs aired on Saturday evenings during the 1980s, but only Echoes
and Hearts of Space
, both experimental music
programs airing on Sunday evenings, represent non-classical genres these days. WBHM no longer has local hosts for classical music; for most of the 2000s, it exclusively relied on the Classical Public Radio Network (a joint production of KUSC-FM in Los Angeles
and Colorado Public Radio
) to provide programming in the middle of the day, evenings, and overnight.
When CPRN shut down operations in 2008, WBHM switched to an all-news/discussion format in the daytime hours with programming from PRI and NPR, a move that several other previously classical-formatted NPR affiliates elsewhere have made in recent times in response to listener demand. Classical music is now heard on WBHM only overnights after 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (7 p.m. on Saturdays; 12 Midnight on Sundays).
Perhaps the station's most accomplished alumnus is John Lemley
, who hosted Afternoon Music and All Things Considered on WBHM from 1992 to 1997. He now serves as the All Things Considered host each weekday afternoon on Atlanta's WABE-FM, that city's main NPR outlet. Lemley was further known as an accomplished actor while residing in Birmingham.
-TV personnel in Birmingham.
The station was operated by students and faculty for many years. When both Smith and Mayben left the school for other interests, new instructor Neil Mullen took over the station operation and a programming deal was struck with WBHM to provide classical music programming.
The call letters of WSGN (for founder Birmingham News, the "South's Greatest Newspaper") date back to the beginning of radio broadcasting in the state, and were formerly located in Birmingham at 610 on the AM dial. In fact, there was a WSGN-FM in the 50's which today is known as WDJC
in Birmingham. The call letters were changed under Mullens' leadership when WSGN 610 AM
was sold to a company that did not want to use the call letters, but did not want another station in Birmingham to be able to use them, so another deal was struck to re-name WEXP as WSGN. As of 2010, the WEXP call letters are located in Brandon, Vermont.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a News Talk Information format during the daytime and mostly classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
overnight. Licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, USA, the station serves the Birmingham area and through repeater WSGN also serves the Gadsden
Gadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
area. The station is licensed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
, where it maintains its studios. WBHM features programing from American Public Media
American Public Media
American Public Media is the second largest producer of public radio programs in the United States of America after NPR. Its non-profit parent, American Public Media Group, also owns and operates radio stations in Minnesota, California, and Florida. Its station brands are Minnesota Public Radio,...
, National Public Radio and Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
..
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. The other public radio stations in Alabama also offer the service, provided through a grant by the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.
History
Even though HuntsvilleHuntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
beat Birmingham, the state's largest city, in getting Alabama's first public radio station in October 1976 (the present WLRH), WBHM did not follow far behind, beginning operations on December 5. WBHM became Birmingham's first full-time classical station since the demise of a commercial FM outlet, WSFM, which gave way to the present WDJC-FM
WDJC-FM
WDJC-FM is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. The station was one of the first commercial FM radio stations in the United States to exclusively feature Christian programming. Today the station programs contemporary Christian music. Crawford Broadcasting Company owns...
in 1967
1967 in radio
The year 1967 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*Fall: St. Louis radio station KSHE flips from female-oriented rock to progressive rock, becoming the first progressive rock radio station in the US....
.
Some jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
programs aired on Saturday evenings during the 1980s, but only Echoes
Echoes (radio program)
Echoes is a daily two-hour music radio program hosted by John Diliberto featuring a soundscape of ambient, space, electronica, and New Age music. The program features in-depth artist interviews and intimate "living room" performances. Interview subjects have included Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel,...
and Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space is a United States weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature drawn largely from the ambient, New Age and electronic genres, while also including classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections...
, both experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
programs airing on Sunday evenings, represent non-classical genres these days. WBHM no longer has local hosts for classical music; for most of the 2000s, it exclusively relied on the Classical Public Radio Network (a joint production of KUSC-FM in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Colorado Public Radio
Colorado Public Radio
Colorado Public Radio is a public radio state network based in Denver, Colorado with transmitters throughout Colorado. CPR consists of three services: News & Information, Classical Music and the recently-launched "Open Air", which consists of adult album alternative music.-History:The first...
) to provide programming in the middle of the day, evenings, and overnight.
When CPRN shut down operations in 2008, WBHM switched to an all-news/discussion format in the daytime hours with programming from PRI and NPR, a move that several other previously classical-formatted NPR affiliates elsewhere have made in recent times in response to listener demand. Classical music is now heard on WBHM only overnights after 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (7 p.m. on Saturdays; 12 Midnight on Sundays).
Perhaps the station's most accomplished alumnus is John Lemley
John Lemley
John Smith Lemley is the WABE early-afternoon music host. From 12 to 1 p.m., he hosts an hour of music, news, and features titled City Cafe. Afternoon Classics follows for two hours, from 1 to 3 p.m...
, who hosted Afternoon Music and All Things Considered on WBHM from 1992 to 1997. He now serves as the All Things Considered host each weekday afternoon on Atlanta's WABE-FM, that city's main NPR outlet. Lemley was further known as an accomplished actor while residing in Birmingham.
WSGN
WSGN-FM began operation as WEXP (for experiment) on February 11, 1975, primarily as a training facility for Gadsden State Community College's broadcasting department. The station was assembled using equipment donated from several Alabama radio stations and from Rick Maze of Birmingham, plus purchases from the State of Alabama Surplus Property warehouse. Construction was performed by broadcast instructors Don Smith and Bob Mayben with assistance from WBRCWBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
-TV personnel in Birmingham.
The station was operated by students and faculty for many years. When both Smith and Mayben left the school for other interests, new instructor Neil Mullen took over the station operation and a programming deal was struck with WBHM to provide classical music programming.
The call letters of WSGN (for founder Birmingham News, the "South's Greatest Newspaper") date back to the beginning of radio broadcasting in the state, and were formerly located in Birmingham at 610 on the AM dial. In fact, there was a WSGN-FM in the 50's which today is known as WDJC
WDJC-FM
WDJC-FM is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. The station was one of the first commercial FM radio stations in the United States to exclusively feature Christian programming. Today the station programs contemporary Christian music. Crawford Broadcasting Company owns...
in Birmingham. The call letters were changed under Mullens' leadership when WSGN 610 AM
WAGG
WAGG is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It broadcasts at a daytime power 5,000 watts, and at nighttime, it broadcasts at 1,000 watts. WAGG is a gospel music station that targets Birmingham's African-American population. It is owned by Cox Radio, which also owns six other...
was sold to a company that did not want to use the call letters, but did not want another station in Birmingham to be able to use them, so another deal was struck to re-name WEXP as WSGN. As of 2010, the WEXP call letters are located in Brandon, Vermont.