WBVM

WBVM
Tampa, Florida;
Broadcast area	Tampa Bay and Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan areas
Frequency	90.5 (MHz)
Branding	"Spirit FM 90.5" and "HD2 The Light"
Programming
Format	Christian radio
Ownership
Owner	Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg; (Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg);
History
First air date	1986
Call sign meaning	Blessed Virgin Mary
Technical information
Facility ID	5373
ERP	77,000 watts
HAAT	294 metres (965 feet)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live Spirit FM 90.5; Listen Live HD2 The Light
Website	http://www.spiritfm905.com

For the radio station in Utica, New York that previously used these calls, see WUSP.

WBVM, branded as Spirit FM 90.5, is a Christian-based radio station in Tampa, Florida, broadcasting on 90.5 FM with an ERP of 77,000 watts. It signed on in May 1986 and began broadcasting a second channel in digital HD radio in 2007. In June 2008, the station began additionally streaming its HD channel on the internet. The station's signal covers the Tampa Bay Area cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, as well as the Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan area and Lakeland, Florida.

The non-commercial station is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg and is primarily listener-supported through an annual "Shareathon" pledge drive. The general manager is John T. Morris and program director is Olivia Hoegstrom. In 2009, the station moved to larger studios at 717 S. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. WBVM's new $1 million facility (pictured) was formally dedicated on October 31.^[1]

Programming is predominantly Christian Contemporary music, along with local diocesan speakers, traffic reports, and Spanish language programs in certain dayparts. Some syndicated programs are carried, such as Family Minute with James Dobson. WBVM's HD radio digital channel, HD2 – The Light, is separately programmed. A popular locally-produced Saturday morning children's program is Kid's Kingdom.^[2]

The long-running Sacred Classics show, a weekly program of traditional choral and organ music recorded by renowned performing artists, originates at the station.^[3] It is broadcast Saturday evenings and repeated on Sunday mornings and evenings on both analog and HD channels.

The station reports that it has listeners online from every continent and all 50 U.S. states.^[1] Programming from WBVM is also simulcast on WWLC, 88.5 MHz, in Cross City, Florida, owned by the neighboring Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine. WWLC was established as a replacement for Lecanto-based WLMS 88.3 MHz, which rebroadcast WBVM from May 1, 1992, to October, 2008.

In 2012, WBVM received the Gabriel Award as best Religious Radio Station of the Year by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals. It also received a Gabriel Award in the category Best Ecumenical or Interreligious Program for Local Release.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Grand Opening, SpiritFM 90.5, October 31, 2009.
^ Mildebrath, Dana (April 1, 2000). "Faith meets fun house in radio hodgepodge". St. Petersburg Times. p. 6B. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
^ Carter, Kelley L. (1997-06-25). "Airport chief stays grounded with music". St. Petersburg Times. pp. 1 & 6.
^ "The Gabriel Awards". Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals. May 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-07. Category 19: Religious Radio Station of the Year {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)