KWEM-LP
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KWEM-LP
| city = West Memphis, Arkansas | country = US
| logo =
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image_alt =
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| frequency = {{Frequency|93.3|MHz}}
| owner = Arkansas State University Mid-South
| licensee = Mid-South Community College
| founded = 2014
| airdate = 2015
| callsign_meaning = West Memphis; tribute to former KWEM
| facility_id = 193203
| erp = 45 watts
| haat = {{Convert|45|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates = {{Coord|35|11|24.3|N|90|15|26.3|W}}
| webcast = [http://www.kwemradio.com/Media-Player.html Listen live]
| website = {{URL|kwemradio.com}}
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
KWEM-LP is a low-power FM radio station in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States, owned by Arkansas State University Mid-South. The station airs a format of blues and gospel music and is also used as a training ground for students in the community college's digital media program.
The call letters and format are a tribute to a former West Memphis radio station, KWEM (990 AM), which began in 1947; moved across the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1953; and changed call letters in 1959. The station was influential in the early careers of several blues and rockabilly musicians.
History
=The original KWEM=
{{main|KWAM#Early years}}
The owners of Little Rock-area radio station KXLR sought to build a statewide network of stations to carry Arkansas Razorbacks football, and they felt that the Memphis area would provide important coverage and exposure for the football program.{{cite news|url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2013/apr/10/resurrecting-radio-legend-20130410/|date=April 10, 2013|title=Resurrecting a radio legend|first=Rex|last=Nelson|work=Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|accessdate=August 30, 2021}} After delays, KWEM (990 AM) began operating on February 9, 1947,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88016399/|page=11|work=The Commercial Appeal|title=New Station Gathers Audience From Afar: West Memphis KWEM Reported Clear 175 Miles Away|date=February 11, 1947}} with official opening two weeks later.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88016514/|title=Kay Arrives Today!|date=February 23, 1947|page=4|work=The Commercial Appeal}}
West Memphis was described as the "Las Vegas of the South" in this era, and its programming drew from the musicians playing clubs in that era.{{r|rex}} Howlin' Wolf had a show on the station from 1949 to 1952, and Sam Phillips heard him and signed him to a contract with Sun Records;{{r|flips}} his program aired after music by rockabilly guitarist Paul Burlison;{{cite news|work=Providence Journal|date=September 19, 1986|title=Sun's sons: Rockabilly pioneers|first=Mike|last=Boehm}} B.B. King was first heard over the station, getting his break on a show helmed by Sonny Boy Williamson II;{{Cite news|first=Fred|last=Shuster|work=Daily News of Los Angeles|title=Blues king had pauper start|date=October 23, 1991|page=L8}} Stax Records founder Jim Stewart started at KWEM, as did James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin;{{cite news|title=Wolf's guitar man keeps his bite|work=The Commercial Appeal|date=April 29, 2005|first=Bill|last=Ellis}} Johnny Cash's first radio broadcast was on KWEM in 1953.{{r|rex|mitch}} The station allowed aspiring performers to pay for 15-minute blocks of air time.{{cite news|url=https://www.wknofm.org/news-and-features/2013-05-13/youll-be-mine-bringing-musical-tourism-to-west-memphis|accessdate=August 30, 2021|title= You’ll Be Mine: Bringing Musical Tourism To West Memphis |first=Eleanor|last=Boudreau|work=WKNO|date=May 13, 2013}} Elvis Presley made his first radio appearance on KWEM in 1953, which did not go well because he lacked a band and moved around too much;{{r|flips}} George Klein worked there as a DJ after its move to Memphis;{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/50s/1955/CB-1955-02-12.pdf|work=Cash Box|date=February 12, 1955|title=Platter Spinner Patter|via=World Radio History|page=11|accessdate=August 30, 2021}} so did Eddie Bond.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/50s/1957/CB-1957-08-17.pdf|work=Cash Box|date=August 17, 1957|page=43|title=Country Round Up|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}
KWEM was purchased by Dee Rivers in 1951.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1951/BC-1951-12-03.pdf|accessdate=August 26, 2021|date=December 3, 1951|title=FCC Actions|work=Broadcasting|page=98}} Rivers moved the station to Memphis, where from studios on Flicker Street, it continued to be an influential hotbed of talent; the transmitter remained on the Arkansas side of the river.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=45336 |title= History Cards for KWAM|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) This lasted through the end of the decade, when KWEM became KWAM,{{r|hc}} and it eventually stopped playing live music.{{r|mine}}
=The revival=
In 2009, Dale Franklin purchased assets to relaunch KWEM as an online-only station, playing the genres of music where it had the most influence.{{cite news|url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2010/jul/13/back-on-the-air/print|first=Mitch|last=McCracken|work=Memphis Daily News|date=July 13, 2010|title=Back on the Air: Historic KWEM returns to airwaves|accessdate=August 30, 2021}} In addition, he acquired such historic artifacts as a recording lathe used by Ike Turner.{{cite news|url=https://theeveningtimes.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/kwem-flips-the-switch-at-mid-south-community-college/|work=The Evening Times|first=Mark|last=Randall|date=June 5, 2014|title=KWEM 'flips the switch' at Mid-South Community College}} Franklin's goal was to increase recognition of KWEM's historical role and increase musical tourism on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi by restoring the original studio on Broadway Street.{{r|mine}} He then opted to sell these assets to Mid-South Community College in West Memphis.{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6099310/historic-kwem-station-returns-online|work=Billboard|title=Historic KWEM Station Returns Online|agency=Associated Press|date=May 27, 2014|accessdate=August 30, 2021}} Streaming returned under MSCC management in 2014 ahead of the station's 2015 sign-on on FM.{{cite news|url=https://archive.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/bob-mehrs-memphis-music-beat-historic-kwem-radio-to-relaunch-pearl-jam-in-memphis-new-amy-lavere-ep--324120151.html/|work=The Commercial Appeal|date=May 22, 2014|title=Bob Mehr's Memphis Music Beat: Historic KWEM radio to relaunch, Pearl Jam in Memphis, new Amy LaVere|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}
Franklin, who was described by the president of MSCC as having a "John the Baptist type fervor" for the project,{{r|flips}} died in 2017.{{cite news|url=http://theeveningtimes.com/theeveningtimes/2017/11/21/dale-franklin-kwem-radio-revivalist-passes-away/|accessdate=August 26, 2021|date=November 21, 2017|work=The Evening Times|title=Dale Franklin, KWEM radio revivalist, passes away|first=Mark|last=Randall}}
References
{{reflist}}