| City of license | Portland, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Pacific Northwest |
| Branding | All Classical FM |
| Frequency | 89.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| Repeaters | KQHR 88.1 FM/HD The Dalles/Hood River KQOC 88.1 FM/HD Newport/Lincoln City K242AX 96.3 FM Columbia River Gorge 107.1 K296FT (West Haven, relays HD2) |
| First air date | August 1, 1983 (as KBPS-FM) |
| Format | Classical music HD2: Local music (KZME) |
| ERP | 5,900 watts |
| HAAT | 440 meters (1,440 ft) |
| Class | C1 |
| Facility ID | 59343 |
| Callsign meaning | K Quality All Classical[1] |
| Former callsigns | KBPS-FM (1983-2009) |
| Affiliations | American Public Media, Public Radio International |
| Owner | All Classical Public Media, Inc. |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | allclassical.org |
KQAC (89.9 FM, "All Classical 89.9") is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Portland, Oregon, USA. Established in 1983 as KBPS-FM, it broadcasts classical music and fine arts information to listeners in northwest Oregon, southwest Washington, and around the world via the Internet. According to Arbitron ratings, as of December 2010 KQAC is the second-highest performing classical music station in the United States.[2] KQAC is owned by All Classical Public Media, Inc. a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
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All Classical KQAC, originally KBPS-FM, began broadcasting on August 1, 1983.[3] That year, Portland Public Schools applied for a license to create an FM station that would reach a larger audience than its KBPS 1450 AM station. Reed College agreed to slightly shift its FM station, freeing up the 89.9 frequency space on the dial.[3] In the early years the programming of the new KBPS-FM station consisted of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, syndicated programming such as Pipedreams and Minnesota Orchestra and educational programming. In the early years all programming was pre-recorded.
By the mid-1980s, then station production assistant Tania Thompson began live announcing during the morning hours. In 1986, John Pitman, a recent Benson graduate, began live announcing during the early evening hours. A third announcer was hired to work throughout the night beginning in 1988, eventually transforming All Classical 89.9 FM into a 24-hour classical station.[3]
Over the decades, the continued growth of the two stations caused a space crisis. At the time, station manager Patricia Swenson and a team of community leaders initiated a campaign to build a new broadcast center with private funds. The new broadcast center was completed in 1992.[3]
Before the new broadcast center was completed, voters passed an Oregon ballot measure authorizing a limitation on property tax rates in the state. As a result, the Portland Public School district faced severe budget cuts, which in turn affected funding to the two stations of KBPS.[3] Operating cuts caused NPR membership to be discontinued in 1993 and volunteers took a more active role of support. Pledge drives became the most viable option for the survival of the two public radio stations.
In 2003, Portland Public Schools announced it was selling its KBPS FM broadcast license. All Classical 89.9 purchased the FM license.[4] As part of the agreement, Benson Polytechnic High School proposed acquiring the call letters from All Classical (the BPS in KBPS stands for Benson Polytechnic School). As a result and in order to avoid confusion, All Classical 89.9 changed its metro call letters to KQAC (AC stands for All Classical) and transferred the KBPS back to Portland Public Schools in 2009.[5] In addition, KQAC FM changed its official name from the previous KBPS Public Radio Foundation to All Classical Public Media, Inc to reflect the change of the call letters.[4]
In late 2010, All Classical FM became the second highest performing classical music station in the country, according to Arbitron ratings. Arbitron ratings also placed KQAC FM as the eighth most listened to station in Portland.[6] In 2010, the top ten stations in Portland included one other public radio station and eight commercial stations. All Classical FM’s audience has grown to a recent peak in May 2010 of 249,000 listeners and the station has a 3.6 market share. The station has had a 58% increase in audience in the past two years.[7] 46,000 additional individuals worldwide are reached each month through online streaming.[8] The station broadcasts classical music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
KQAC increased its power from 3,700 watts to 5,200 watts in January 2011 and later to 5,900 in May 2011. The increase extended coverage in the Portland area by ten miles in all directions and improved reception.[9]
The station began rebroadcasting its signal in Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast in 2008.[10] The KQOC signal reaches Tillamook and Cannon Beach to the north and Yachats to the south. The station began rebroadcasting in the Hood River area in 2001 and in The Dalles in 2008.[3] KQHR is the first radio station in the Columbia River Gorge with HD digital transmission.
| Transmitter | Location | Power (measured in watts) |
|---|---|---|
| KQAC 89.9 | Portland/Vancouver | 5,900 |
| KQOC 88.1 | Newport/Lincoln City | 8,800 |
| KQHR 88.1 | Hood River/The Dalles and 96.3 Columbia River East Gorge | 3,000 |
In March 2010 a new program schedule was launched for the station, which utilizes fewer on-air staff and more locally produced programs.[8] A popular weekly program originating from KQAC is The Score with Edmund Stone. The first air-date was on April 8, 2006. Host and producer Edmund Stone showcases film scores from classical films to modern fare. In addition to airing locally, the program is also syndicated in multiple cities across the United States and internationally.[6] In 2010 Bob's Red Mill signed on as the first national sponsor of the program.[6]
KQAC, KQHR, and KQOC rely on listener contributions, which provide over two-thirds of their budget.[3] They also receive financial support from local businesses and arts organizations that underwrite their programming through on-air sponsorships. Additionally, a small portion of their annual budget comes from various foundation grants and from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.[3]
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