The station is operated by the Minneapolis Public Schools system and has been partnering since 1989 with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), providing traffic congestion reports for commuters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

[2] KBEM also broadcasts live headliner performances from the Twin Cities Jazz Festival each June.

The money accounted for roughly half of the station's budget, so KBEM launched an emergency fundraising drive.

By January 2005, the drive had gathered $45,000 from the public toward a goal of $138,000 to cover the station until the end of its fiscal year (mid-2005).

Sufficient public opposition to the proposed end of the MnDOT partnership caused the agency to continue the relationship, but at a reduced rate.