Power 1,000 watts Facility ID 4782 Frequency 1450 kHz Owner Portland Public Schools | Class C Former callsigns KFIF (1923-1930) City of license Portland Call sign meaning Benson Polytechnic School | |
First air date March 23, 1923 (as KFIF) Callsign meaning Benson Polytechnic School Format Oldies, Adult contemporary music, Contemporary hit radio, Children's radio Slogan Voice of the Portland Public Schools Kid Rhythm Radio Summer Sound | ||
KBPS (1450 AM) is a high school radio station in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is run by Benson Polytechnic High School students enrolled in the radio broadcasting program. It is owned by Portland Public Schools.
KQAC, formerly KBPS-FM, and KBPS share the same building, the FM station no longer has any affiliation with Portland Public Schools other than the space they rent out.
KBPS broadcasts in AM Stereo.
History
In May 1921, the Benson Tech Radio Club received a government license to operate telegraph station 7YK, later changing the call sign to 7XAD in October 1923. This would lead to Benson's first broadcasting station on May 4, 1923, at 6:00 PM when station KFIF signed on the air. This was only the second radio station operated by an educational institute.
KFIF became KBPS on March 17, 1930, when KFIF became too expensive for the student body to operate. The District accepted ownership of the station. Prior to 1947 the station only broadcast six hours each day. The station was renamed KBPS (for Benson Polytechnic School) and has continued to operate on the Benson campus and to be staffed by Benson students.
Patricia Green Swenson was the general manager of the station from 1947 until 1994.
Portland State University rented out the 1450 AM frequency for their college radio station, which broadcast from 5 p.m. until midnight on weekdays and from noon to midnight on the weekends. This time-sharing arrangement ended on June 25, 2010.
On July 1, 2012, KBPS signed off the air for the summer due to budget cuts, but returned to the air later in 2012.