KDPS 88.1 FM’s decades-long run at Des Moines Public Schools has officially come to an end after the school board approved selling the station’s spectrum to Community Broadcasting Inc.
Community Broadcasting — which owns several religious stations under the name Bott Radio Network — purchased KDPS 88.1 for $175,000.
KDPS 88.1 FM was valued at $750,000, district officials said previously. The sale does not include the station’s equipment, but Community Broadcasting can continue to use the tower on top of Central Campus for up to two years.
The Des Moines School Board unanimously approved the sale with little discussion during Tuesday’s meeting.
Officials worked with a broker to find a buyer for the station because the district’s current license limited potential purchasers, said Phil Roeder, DMPS spokesperson.
“So really, it’s either an educational broadcaster, a religious broadcaster or another nonprofit broadcaster,” Roeder said. “This is not a station that could have been sold to a top 40 station, or (a) bigger radio network.”
The radio station — which started in 1953 following the donation of equipment — was part of DMPS’ broadcasting and film program. The Federal Communications Commission gave the district permission to sell the station’s spectrum and let it go dark on June 5 after 70 years on the air.
Officials ended the station’s run for several reasons, including the retirement of a long-time teacher, the ongoing cost of station maintenance and equipment, changes in technology and the district’s Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools initiative.
Reimagining Education is a districtwide overhaul — meant to help improve students’ academic outcomes — which includes closing, updating or repurposing schools; expanding programs including hands-on learning courses and all-day preschool; and reevaluating programs and classes. Another program undergoing review is the district’s agriscience program — which was paused ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
The funds from the sale will go back into the program.
“Part of that is we want to repatriate that into the program,” Neil Schroeder, DMPS’ chief information officer, in an interview, “for streaming, getting the equipment.”
There is no set date for when KDPS 88.1 FM will come back online, Schroeder said.
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @svhernandez, Bluesky at @svhernandez.bsky.social or at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines Public Schools’ long-time radio station sold to Community Broadcasting Inc.
Reporting by Samantha Hernandez, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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