KHFM

KHFM
Santa Fe, New Mexico;
Broadcast area	Albuquerque metropolitan area and Northern New Mexico
Frequency	95.5 MHz
Branding	Classical 95.5 KHFM
Programming
Format	Classical music
Ownership
Owner	KHFM Community Partners; (The American General Media Foundation);
History
First air date	November 1954 (on 96.3 MHz); August 15, 1965 (as 95.5 KSNM)
Former call signs	KSNM (1965–1982); KNYN (1982–1997); KBFG (1997–1998); KMMG (1998–2001)
Call sign meaning	K Highland Frequency Modulation
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	52813
Class	C1
ERP	19,000 watts
HAAT	546 meters (1791 ft)
Translator(s)	95.9 K240CN (Ruidoso); 103.1 K276ED (Roswell); 106.3 K292FW (Taos)
Repeater(s)	98.5 KABG-HD3 (Los Alamos)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live
Website	khfm.org

KHFM (95.5 FM) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and serving the Albuquerque metropolitan area. It airs a classical music radio format with some selections drawn from musical theatre. The studios and offices are located on Marble Avenue NE in Northeast Albuquerque. It is owned by KHFM Community Partners, a foundation set up by American General Media when the station switched from commercial to non-commercial. KHFM holds periodic fundraisers on the air during the year to support the station from listener donations.

KHFM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 19,000 watts.^[3] The transmitter tower is in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, west of Los Alamos.^[4] KHFM can also be heard via live streaming on its website and on three FM translator stations set up to extend its range.

K240CN 95.9 FM - Ruidoso, New Mexico - 9 watts
K276ED 103.1 FM - Roswell, New Mexico - 36 watts
K292FW 106.3 FM - Taos, New Mexico - 250 watts

History of KHFM

Early years

KHFM was started in November 1954 as a hobby of two teachers at Highland High School, originally broadcasting at 96.3 MHz (now the dial position for KKOB-FM).^[5] KHFM was the first commercial FM station in Albuquerque.^[6] The call sign is a combination of the initials for Highland High School and Frequency Modulation, the technical term for FM radio. The teachers set up a corporation known as the CHE Broadcasting Company, with studios on Buena Vista Avenue SE. John D. Hopperton served as General Manager and Paul Leo Britt was the President.

In the 1960s, the station moved its studios to Domingo Road NE. It increased its power from 1,700 watts to 3,300 watts.^[7] In the 1970s, KHFM joined most of the other Albuquerque FM stations on a high peak outside the city, powered at 20,000 watts, to cover the city, its suburbs and Northern New Mexico. In 1987, ownership passed to New Mexico Classical Radio, Inc.^[8]

Change in ownership

In 1996, KHFM was sold to Citadel Broadcasting. Some listeners were concerned that a large broadcasting company might drop the format, which was happening in other cities around the U.S. Classical is seen as a format attracting a loyal but small and older audience, while most advertisers seek a large and youthful audience.

The classical format continued on 96.3 for five years until March 2001. At that point, Citadel decided classical music was not bringing in enough revenue, and the company made plans to drop the format in favor of classic rock.

Switching frequencies

American General Media, the owner of dozens of radio stations in the Southwestern United States including New Mexico, agreed to pick up the format for its Albuquerque station on 95.5 MHz. The call letters and classical music moved down the dial a short distance, from 96.3 to 95.5, and the station's city of license was changed from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Citadel agreed to continue handling sales via a joint sales agreement.^[9] KHFM was relayed on FM translator K275AO at 102.9 to improve coverage in the eastern part of the city.^[10] This lasted until 2013, when AGM decided to use the translator to broadcast KARS. It later added translators in Ruidoso (K240CN 95.9), Roswell (K276ED 103.1) and Taos (K292FW 106.3).

In 2008, KHFM won the New Mexico Governors Award for excellence in the arts.^[11] At the same time American General Media had laid off several of the station's long-time staff with family members of company ownership taking over programming.^[12]

Non-commercial status

On June 14, 2017, AGM announced that it would donate KHFM to "KHFM Community Partners," a non-profit organization that planned to convert the station to a non-commercial status and retain the Classical format. It was part of a deal where AGM acquired Univision's entire Albuquerque cluster, but was required by the Federal Communications Commission to spin off four stations to meet ownership limits.^[13] Converting KHFM counted as spinning off one of the four stations.

The license was modified on September 1, 2017. Previously, KHFM had been one of the few commercial classical stations in the United States; in recent years, commercial classical stations such as WQXR-FM New York City, KDFC San Francisco, KING-FM Seattle, WCLV Cleveland and KDB-FM Santa Barbara have made similar conversions from commercial to non-commercial status.

History of 95.5 FM

1965-1982: Easy listening

The station went by the name "Soft Loft 95.5".

1982-1998: Country

From 1982 to 1997, the station was known as "Canyon Country." It then changed its name to "Froggy 95.5," retaining the country format.

1998-2001: Rhythmic oldies

The station went by the name "Mega 95-5."

2001-present: Classical

The station goes by the name "Classical 95-5 KHFM."

References

^ "Call Sign History".
^ "Facility Technical Data for KHFM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ FCC.gov/KHFM
^ Radio-Locator.com/KHFM
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1956 page 206
^ E211
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 B-131
^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1990 page B-203
^ "Media owners swap sales ops at KHFM - New Mexico Business Weekly". Archived from the original on March 11, 2008.
^ Rick Nathanson (December 8, 2017). "Classical Music Can Be Heard Again". Archived from the original on September 13, 2017.
^ "New Mexico Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts :: Award Winners". artsawards.newmexicoculture.org.
^ Ronish, Marty (August 10, 2008). "KHFM: Disenchantment in the Land of Enchantment". Scanning The Dial.
^ "American General Media Acquires Univision Albuquerque; Spins Four" from Radio Insight (June 14, 2017)

External links

Official website
Facility details for Facility ID 52813 (KHFM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
KHFM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
Facility details for Facility ID 22654 (K240CN) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
K240CN at FCCdata.org
Facility details for Facility ID 86395 (K276ED) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
K276ED at FCCdata.org
Facility details for Facility ID 142747 (K292FW) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
K292FW at FCCdata.org

35°46′48″N 106°31′41″W / 35.780°N 106.528°W / 35.780; -106.528

[1] "Call Sign History".

[2] "Facility Technical Data for KHFM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[3] FCC.gov/KHFM

[4] Radio-Locator.com/KHFM

[5] Broadcasting Yearbook 1956 page 206

[6] E211

[7] Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 B-131

[8] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1990 page B-203

[9] "Media owners swap sales ops at KHFM - New Mexico Business Weekly". Archived from the original on March 11, 2008.

[10] Rick Nathanson (December 8, 2017). "Classical Music Can Be Heard Again". Archived from the original on September 13, 2017.

[11] "New Mexico Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts :: Award Winners". artsawards.newmexicoculture.org.

[12] Ronish, Marty (August 10, 2008). "KHFM: Disenchantment in the Land of Enchantment". Scanning The Dial.

[13] "American General Media Acquires Univision Albuquerque; Spins Four" from Radio Insight (June 14, 2017)

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