History

KBYU-FM, Classical 89, began at Brigham Young University as an AM station in the 1940s. Originally named KBRG, it was the first collegiate radio station west of the Mississippi. The station was used as a training facility under the guidance of radio pioneer Dr. Owen Rich. It was Rich who guided the birth of the FM station in 1960, including the process of obtaining the call letters of KBYU, which at the time was fairly difficult since those letters were assigned to a liberty ship! The conversion to stereo broadcasting with a 32,000-watt transmitter took place in 1970. In 1978 the station changed to an all-classical music format, which it carries today. Finally, in 1987, the 20-hour broadcast day went to a full 24 hours a day.

KBYU-FM, a nonprofit, public support station, broadcasts at a frequency of 89.1 FM in Salt Lake County, at 89.5 FM in Utah County, and online at www.classical89.org.

Purpose

Classical 89's mission is to enrich the lives of radio listeners through inspiring and enlightening programming, employing the concepts of great music and sound ideas to reflect the timeless standards of Brigham Young University.

Audience

KBYU-FM, Classical 89, serves over 90,000 listeners in the Greater Salt Lake area and in Utah, Davis, Weber and Box Elder Counties, as well as some additional outlying areas. A translator in Spanish Fork carries the broadcast signal to Utah County and south to Santaquin. There is a translator in Preston, Idaho as well.

Programming

Classical 89 broadcasts the finest in classical music. Program selections come from an extensive CD library, KBYU's productions, broadcasts of local and BYU arts groups' performances, as well as national and international programs. Classical 89 also presents coverage of local arts events, news from the BBC World Service, KBYU-FM morning and afternoon news, and several hours each week of Brigham Young University programs that include addresses from devotionals, forums, and Concerts from BYU School of Music.