WBVM (90.5 FM, "Spirit FM 90.5") is a

Christian radio Christian radio is a Christian media radio format that focus on programming with a Christian message. Many such broadcasters play contemporary Christian music, though many programs include sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk progra ...

station licensed to

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

. Owned by the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg The Diocese of Saint Petersburg ( la, Dioecesis Sancti Petri in Florida) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Florida. It comprises , encompassing Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus c ...

, the station broadcasts a

Christian adult contemporary Christian adult contemporary, also known as Christian AC or CAC, is a radio format. In the United States, Christian adult contemporary radio stations cater to a mostly adult audience and are similar to mainstream adult contemporary stations in that ...

music format serving the

Tampa Bay Area The Tampa Bay area is a major populated area surrounding Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. It is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the United St ...

. The station's studios are currently located at 717 S. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, and the station's transmitter is located in Riverview. WBVM is primarily listener-supported through donations, with annual pledge drives such as "Spread the Word", "Hopesgiving", and "Thrill of Hope". The station's programming includes Christian music, along with programs featuring local diocesan speakers, the Saturday morning children's program ''Kid's Kingdom with Elle'', community features on ''How We See It,'' and even Bishop Parkes himself with ''A View from the Top''. Some syndicated programs are carried, such as ''Focus on the Family Minute'', ''Divine Mercy Chaplet'', and ''

Lighthouse Catholic Media Lighthouse Catholic Media is a not for profit company that distributes CDs and digital downloads of Catholic-themed content. Lighthouse has provided CD programs to over 7,500 Roman Catholic parishes throughout the United States and Canada and has ...

''. ''

Sacred Classics ''Sacred Classics'' was a weekly two–hour radio show originating from WBVM-FM in Tampa, Florida, featuring choral and organ music from international venues. Founded in October 1983, it was broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as ...

'', a weekly program of traditional choral and organ music, originates from the station. WBVM broadcasts two

HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for an in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. It generally simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD Radio is used ...

subchannels, including ''The Light'' (which carries additional Christian programming), and the Spanish-language ''El Fuego''. Spirit FM also hosts an annual Women's Conference, available to all women across the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The station often brings nationally renowned speakers and artists to this conference. In 2018, Spirit FM also had in integral role in hosting the Family Faith Fest, alongside The Diocese of St. Petersburg, sponsored by BayCare. Programming from WBVM was simulcast on WWLC, 88.5 MHz, in

Cross City, Florida Cross City is a town in and the county seat of Dixie County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,728 at the 2010 census. Geography Cross City is located at (29.6806, –83.0897). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town ...

, owned by the neighboring

Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine The Diocese of St. Augustine is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church, located in the U.S. state of Florida. It is a suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami, covering much of North Florida, including t ...

. In 2012, WBVM received the ''

Gabriel Award The Gabriel Awards are a Catholic honor awarded each year for excellence in broadcasting. They were started by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals in 1965, and are currently administered by the Catholic Media Association. ...

'' 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.

References

External links

*
''Sacred Classics''
{{coord, 27.848, N, 82.264, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title BVM (FM) BVM (FM) Catholic radio stations Radio stations established in 1986 1986 establishments in Florida