WYMS
Encyclopedia
WYMS is a non-commercial radio station
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, broadcasting on 88.9 FM
. The station currently airs a younger-skewing eclectic adult album alternative
music format, branded as "Radio Milwaukee". The station's license is owned by Milwaukee Public Schools
, though it is managed and programmed by an outside group, also named Radio Milwaukee. In addition, WYMS airs weekly school board meetings on the over-the-air signal as a condition of MPS leasing the signal to Radio Milwaukee.
as "Jazz 89" with various ethnic programming (particularly Polka
music) on the weekends. The call letters stand for "Your Milwaukee Schools"
In the spring of 2002, Milwaukee Public Schools had a budget shortfall and the station's operations were handed over to WUWM
at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For a short period, WYMS simmulcasted WUWM's programming before switching over to syndicated mainstream jazz music.
Under management of Radio For Milwaukee, the station planned to introduce an eclectic
contemporary music format. After many delays and target sign-on dates, the station dropped the automated jazz programming and began stunting on February 23, 2007. The new format officially debuted on February 26, with on-air personalities first appearing on March 5.
In May 2010 the station picked up World Cafe
from WUWM after that station considered the program's music direction out of format.
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...
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, broadcasting on 88.9 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. The station currently airs a younger-skewing eclectic adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
music format, branded as "Radio Milwaukee". The station's license is owned by Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools is the largest school district in Wisconsin. As of 2007, it had an enrollment of 87,360 students, and as of 2006 employed 6,100 full-time and substitute teachers in 223 schools. The Milwaukee Public Schools system is the 33rd largest in the United States by enrollment...
, though it is managed and programmed by an outside group, also named Radio Milwaukee. In addition, WYMS airs weekly school board meetings on the over-the-air signal as a condition of MPS leasing the signal to Radio Milwaukee.
History
Initially, WYMS ran mainstream jazzMainstream jazz
Mainstream jazz is a genre of jazz music that was first used in reference to the playing styles around the 1950s of musicians like Buck Clayton among others; performers who once heralded from the era of big band swing music who did not abandon swing for bebop, instead performing the music in...
as "Jazz 89" with various ethnic programming (particularly Polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
music) on the weekends. The call letters stand for "Your Milwaukee Schools"
In the spring of 2002, Milwaukee Public Schools had a budget shortfall and the station's operations were handed over to WUWM
WUWM
WUWM is a radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee College of Letters and Science and licensed to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System...
at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For a short period, WYMS simmulcasted WUWM's programming before switching over to syndicated mainstream jazz music.
Under management of Radio For Milwaukee, the station planned to introduce an eclectic
Eclecticism in music
Eclecticism is used to describe a composer's conscious use of styles alien to his nature, or from one or more historical styles. The term is also used pejoratively to describe music whose composer, thought to be lacking originality, appears to have freely drawn on other models .-Sources:* Kennedy,...
contemporary music format. After many delays and target sign-on dates, the station dropped the automated jazz programming and began stunting on February 23, 2007. The new format officially debuted on February 26, with on-air personalities first appearing on March 5.
In May 2010 the station picked up World Cafe
World Cafe
World Cafe is a two-hour long, nationally syndicated music radio program that originates from WXPN, a non-commercial station licensed to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The program began in 1991 and was originally distributed by Public Radio...
from WUWM after that station considered the program's music direction out of format.