Dialing in radio's connection (or lack thereof) to Des Moines' music scene

By Michael Swanger

If you're wearing out the "seek" button on your radio in search of quality music programming in Des Moines, you're not alone. At a time when media corporations have a stranglehold on the commercial market and non-commercial stations struggle to survive, discontent is reaching a breaking point. One which could lead to a change in the marketplace.

The days when listeners could scroll across the dial to discover a new artist, song or genre are long gone. Today's shrinking playlists are so homogenized - thanks to national market surveys and big-label money thinly veiled as payola - that they leave discerning music fans, who used to tune in for meaningful music, with mind-numbing ear candy. And though there are a few niches in the local market for music fans to cling to, they are the exception to the rule.

However, the problem with radio doesn't end there, music insiders say. In addition to its poor playlists, music radio is all talk when it comes to investing in the music community. As Des Moines' leaders - both public and private - begin to realize the role a vibrant music scene can play in the retention of youth, the recruitment of employees, the improvement of our quality of life and the possibilities of financial gain, many have overlooked a key piece to the puzzle that has been missing for years - radio and it's connection (or lack thereof) to the local music scene. In order for Des Moines' creative economy to thrive, some insiders say, radio must get in tune with the local music scene.

"Right now there is no connection to the live music scene," says Fritz JŸnker, founder of the Des Moines Music Coalition. "Radio conglomerates are not locally owned. The DJs and people who work there are local, but their hands are tied by policies established in corporate boardrooms in a distant land."

Radio in Des Moines, like other cities across the country, has undergone significant transformation since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed companies like Clear Channel Communications, Inc., to buy several radio stations. Deregulation also allowed corporate giants to purchase television stations, concert promotion groups, billboards and satellite radio companies, and many blame them for watering down programming.

Since deregulation, community radio stations across the country have been overpowered by corporate-controlled commercial stations, resulting in cookie-cutter formats. And one of the least-talked-about aspects of media deregulation is its affect on fans, artists and businesses.

"We've been in a bubble for the last 10 years," says JŸnker, who has worked in radio and television. "On a philosophical level, radio stations should be programmed by local people for local people."

It's hard to imagine radio being all things to all people, especially at a time when the music industry has become so specialized. But it's the lack of certain niches in the market that frustrates listeners, JŸnker says.

"I think people are dissatisfied and feel powerless about the situation," he adds. "They want to hear something they haven't heard a million times before - that's the main complaint I hear."

Another complaint is radio's disconnect to live music events, including those they sponsor. Most stations promote big concerts by the likes of Metallica and Motley CrŸe through ticket giveaways and the occasional live remote, but they're often plugging bands that they already have in heavy rotation, not new artists. In the past year, stations like KGGO 94.9 and LAZER 103.3 have helped fund events like "One Night Stand" and "Waterstock Rock," respectively. But more often than not, radio sponsorships don't equate to airplay for the music events they lend their name to, as is the case for STAR 102.5's work with the Nitefall on the River series and KMXD 100.3's connection to the East Village Friday Night series, which includes local blues music.

JŸnker says radio's unwillingness to play the music found at these events is a disservice to the community.

"When I hear something good on radio it motivates me to be part of my community," he says. "But when I hear fodder and filler on the radio I lose faith in the system I'm a part of. It's quality versus crap."

Some radio executives disagree.

"I'm not sure it's our job to promote live music on the radio," says Iowa native Joel McCrea, vice president and market manager of Clear Channel. "We're trying to attract listeners and provide the best possible forum for our advertisers."

McCrea oversees seven radio stations in Des Moines, including The Bus 106.3, KKDM 107.5 and KMXD, all of which are programmed locally. "If you're a successful radio station, you have complete autonomy," he says. "If you're not successful and have no plan, one will be provided for you."

Though many listeners say Clear Channel's playlists are bland and trendy, McCrea begs to differ.

"I couldn't disagree with that more," he says. "In the last four years I've brought in a jazz station and took it off the air (KVJC 106.3's smooth jazz) and brought in hip-hop ("The Beat" 106.3) and had to take that off, too. Those were hard decisions."

Fans have been critical of McCrea's decision to dump "The Beat," Des Moines' only full-time hip-hop station, saying it took away the hip-hop community's voice and its ability to promote its events. "Now people are less likely to see a hip-hop show because there's no one there to expose them to it," JŸnker says.

McCrea says Clear Channel often is the target of critics, many of whom subscribe to the "Big Brother syndrome." "We've been unfairly targeted across the country," he says. "It comes with the territory of being the biggest. Nobody's ever owned 1,200 stations before."

Despite the criticism, McCrea says Clear Channel makes an investment in the local music scene. He cites KCCQ 105.1 in Ames, Clear Channel's sponsorship of concerts and his company's hiring of local bands for the Taste of Des Moines as examples.

But if listener feedback and market research suggests otherwise, McCrea says Clear Channel would consider playing more local music. "We want to provide the most compelling programs, and if that means more local bands then we'll provide that," he says. "We want our audience to be happy. I'm not sure we've done a great job of that as an industry as a whole. But I think we're getting smarter about it. There's a move afoot for more compelling programming."

Live wire

Clubs are the backbone of any thriving music community and the first radio station to tap into that market is likely to attract and retain new listeners.

"They're the ones bringing variety to our city," Junker says. "Whoever does that will get listeners back because people are starved for that kind music."

Perhaps the best example of a relationship between a live music club and radio involves a genre of music that pales in comparison to other styles in terms of album and concert ticket sales - blues. Blues on Grand, Des Moines' only full-time blues club, sponsors "The Roadhouse," a four-hour-long program that airs every Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon on KGGO and plays music by artists scheduled to play Blues on Grand.

"I'm in the best situation of anybody," says Jeff Wagner, the club's manager. "I have a four-hour blues infomercial every week and I feel fortunate about that."

Anyone who has ever listened to "The Roadhouse" understands Wagner's good fortune. The program's host, Andre Mosqueda, not only plays blues music hosted by the club, but he frequently reads aloud the club's lineup, even if it repeats a preceding advertisement containing the same information.

"It allows people to sample the kind of music an artist plays or they find out about our shows," Wagner says. "I can't get that kind of support from public radio because they're not playing as much blues music as they did before. I'd like to see public radio do their job promoting more non-commercial stuff."

Wagner says "The Roadhouse" is so popular with local blues fans that during the five-year period in which Blues on Grand has been its main sponsor, it has doubled its airtime. "It's the top-rated show in its time slot," he says.

But KGGO isn't Wagner's only radio friend. Those who tune into Larry Cotlar's sports show on KXNO 1460 can also hear blues music by bands playing Blues on Grand, including local acts. "It's a testament to his love of the music," Wagner says.

Other club owners and managers, however, aren't as fortunate. Ladd Askland, talent buyer for the Vaudeville Mews, which hosts an eclectic mix of indie rock, hip-hop, jazz and alt-country, says most local radio programmers refuse to play the acts he books.

"It would be one thing if they were trying to do their best, but they're not," he says. "They need to open up and try new things."

Though the Mews has developed a loyal following, Askland says the club's attendance would increase if a local radio station was willing to program progressive music. He says bands that play the Mews typically draw larger crowds at venues in markets comparable in size to Des Moines', and he attributes those lagging attendance figures to a lack of radio support.

"We've had some good results with advertising, but people need to hear the music," he says. "If we could get even 10 to 20 more people a night it would make a huge difference, and radio could help us do that.

"I talk to the bands who come through the club, and they're not bullshit bands, they're popular groups in other markets, but not here. Part of that is they're pushed hard on radio in other places. That makes it hard for us to book them. I'm not doing anything different than other people doing my job in other markets. I just don't have the support of radio and it's disappointing."

J.C. Wilson, co-owner of The House of Bricks, says he recently started talking with radio stations like KGGO and LAZER. Like most club owners, he hopes improved programming might help promote shows he books at his East Village nightclub.

"It's been a long time since I've tried radio," he says. "But I'm hoping it's different now. I can't bash it like I did a few years ago. The two stations I talked to said they want to be more connected to the bands."

Pat Oswald, a longtime concert promoter who previously worked in radio, says when he was a young DJ he could play Herbie Mann and The Allman Brothers back-to-back or spin a song by Grandmaster Flash during a jazz show, but those days are gone for DJs.

"In the '70s, you could be a tastemaker or champion stuff," he says. "Now a young band like Coldplay gets airplay because they're bland and they appeal to the lowest common denominator."

Oswald books an array of acts, ranging from folk, blues and jazz to rock, salsa and zydeco. Somehow, he says, he's managed to stay afloat in the concert industry with little radio support.

"I can't remember the last band I've brought in in the last decade that got airplay," he says. "I don't know how many acts I've booked that have drawn larger crowds in Sioux Falls, S.D., though Des Moines is three times bigger. The difference is those acts get airplay in Sioux Falls."

Oswald says a community radio station, where the public's input to help determine programming, would be a positive move for everyone involved in the local music industry.

"We're dropping the ball by not having a place to hear local bands," he says. "KWDM and KDPS do it, but they have a limited audience. Local bands can't afford to advertise with commercial stations, but if a DJ would just mention a show it would help. It's not payola. It's having a voice in the community. But until there's a public outcry I doubt commercial radio will change."

Local licks

Suzi Richmond, the new host of LAZER's "Local Licks," which airs Sundays from 11 p.m. to midnight, plays local bands that fit within the station's hard-rock format. Each week, she spins about 10 tunes by groups like On A Pale Horse and the Cassandra Disease who hail from Central Iowa. Unlike most DJs, Richmond visits clubs like Hairy Mary's and the House of Bricks to recruit bands for her show. She says establishing a connection with the local live music community is part of her job.

"I love discovering a new band," Richmond says. "If I'm going to be part of the music scene I need to know what I'm talking about on air."

Though Richmond says she would like to see more program directors incorporate local bands into their playlists, she understands it's not a priority. Still, she adds, it's not due to a lack of local talent deserving of airplay.

"I talk to people from out of town who see the potential of our local bands," she says. "They're surprised by how tight the music scene is and how many great bands we have."

Richmond hopes to strengthen her tie with local groups by convincing LAZER, which is owned by the Des Moines Radio Group (KIOA 93.3, Star 102.5 and others), to host a showcase of local bands at a club this fall.

"It's my life," she explains. "I love music."

So, too, does Tony Tarbox, host of KCCQ 105.1's "The Garage." His show, which airs Sundays at 9 p.m., is devoted to local and regional acts.

"There's been a huge growth in bands and venues in the last two years," Tarbox says. "Every week we play someone new most people have never heard."

Like Richmond, Tarbox scouts bands at clubs.

"I concentrate on the live aspect of music," he says. "I enjoy the intimacy level of clubs so I can concentrate on the music. My playlist is usually determined by who's playing live that week."

Tarbox says local music is an essential part of programming. "It's important to expose artists who wouldn't get exposed anywhere else," he says. "It bolsters the music scene and it keeps it fresh for our listeners."

Tarbox also says Clear Channel management at KCCQ has been supportive of "The Garage."

"It was real easy to get approval to do the show," he says. "The program director was behind it from the start, and it's easy for our salespeople to sell."

KCCQ's DJs track listeners' requests in a log and post their playlist on KCCQ's Web site. That's where you'll find local acts like The Envy Corps, The Lifestyle and Soul Sick in the rotation. "One of the biggest myths about Clear Channel is that we have a guy in a suit from out of state sending us a list of songs to play," he says. "That's so far from the truth it's almost laughable."

Public radio

"It was our mission from the beginning to reach out to the arts community," says Wayne Jarvis, interim general manager for KUNI, who has worked at the Cedar Falls-based public radio station for 32 years. "We do that by playing music not heard on other stations."

KUNI's programming has long been a haven for radio audiences starved for blues, jazz, folk and Triple-A rock, reaching more than 62,000 unduplicated listeners each week. It also plays music by local bands on programs like "Live From Studio One" and "Down on the Corner." "We try to give them a home on radio," says Al Schares, producer and music director. "It's a priority."

But KUNI's commitment to the music community goes beyond its playlists. Since 1978, it has included in-studio performances and concert recordings to its programming. "Our main priority is promoting music and enriching the quality of peoples' lives," Schares says. "And a lot of the artists we've worked with probably wouldn't have stopped in Iowa had we not made the effort to record them."

"There's great music out there just waiting to be heard by people who believe in what we do," Jarvis says.

Those dedicated listeners also support KUNI's $1.6 million annual budget with donations. "People invest dollars with us because they can't find what we play anywhere else," Jarvis says. "Our audience is smaller than that of commercial radio, but it's better educated, affluent and engaged in community life more than anyone else's listeners. It's a special group."

But while public radio stations usually cater to adults, they do little to prick up the ears of young people who prefer progressive music. And now that the state's three university public radio stations - WOI, KUNI and KSUI - have merged into one organization under the supervision of the Iowa Board of Regents, the timing for Senate Resolution 21, which was approved by the Iowa Senate in April, might be right.

Sponsored by senators Jeff Lamberti and Michael Gronstal, and co-written by JŸnker, the official statement by the legislature asks public radio's governing body to explore broader programming that would include progressive music, but would not exclude other forms of music. The document says such programming would help retain Iowa's youth, foster a "creative economy" and ensure the "future viability of public radio in Iowa."

"We hope it sends a message, though it's not binding, to ask public radio to look at the problem," Lamberti says. "My goal is to help promote quality of life and prevent brain drain. It's the role of the state to assist with that."

JŸnker says a change in public radio programming could also reap financial rewards. He uses Minnesota Public Radio's "The Current" 89.3 as an example. The station recently changed its programming from classical to alternative rock to attract a younger membership base and in its first three weeks it received more than $100,000 in contributions.

"I think it's important to keep classical music on the air, but public radio needs to implement new formats to serve younger listeners," he says. "They need to think of the future."
Jarvis says KUNI would like to play more progressive music but it can't due to a lack of staffing. "There's a lot to choose from and we can't do it all," he says.

The next few months will be critical for Iowa's public radio stations as the Board of Regents searches for an executive director to oversee it. Though some are concerned that consolidation will alter local programming, Jarvis says it's too early to tell. "We'll have to see who the executive director will be," he says. "That person and the Regents will be making key decisions about our future."

In addition to programming decisions, Dave Becker, program director for WOI 90.1, a station that features jazz and classical music, says budget cuts are another concern. "Each of the last few years we've had to deal with it and we've had to get rid of some good local and network programs," he says.

To maintain its loyal audience, WOI continues to focus on live broadcasts and tape-delayed performances of local jazz artists on its monthly "Third Thursday" show, as well as concerts by the Des Moines Symphony. "We want to be a part of the local arts community and we give our very best when it comes to that," Becker says. "But we don't have an opportunity for things that aren't jazz or classical."

Student radio

There are a number of low-frequency, student-run radio stations operating against the corporate grain across Iowa. Locally, they include Iowa State University's KURE 88.5, Valley High School's KWDM 88.7 and KDPS 88.1, shared by Des Moines Public Schools and Grand View College. Some people see them as an untapped source for promoting progressive and local music, but public-private partnerships, especially those involving students, can be complex.

Last fall, the DMMC announced it had established a program to build an independent music library to service KDPS and utilize its resources. But there was concern by the station's students and leaders about how that relationship was characterized in the media as to who was determining programming. Bill Springer, KDPS' general manager, says while his students are happy to promote the live music scene through their own choice of music, they are under no obligation to do so.

"I think there was some initial confusion that the DMMC was determining our programming, but that's not the case," he says. "Our purpose is to train students. We made no promises to anyone about what we would play. These kids are pretty emotional about their music and if they couldn't play what they wanted they wouldn't be interested."

Still, Springer says, the students who operate KDPS - a station with 5,200 watts, a broadcast range of about 30 miles and more than 12,000 listeners each week - have an interest in promoting the local music scene by targeting young adults. From an eclectic mix of indie rock, metal, jazz, country, punk and classic rock, to on-air interviews with local artists and in-studio performances, Springer says KDPS has the kind of independent programming most hardcore music fans are looking for these days.

"We're probably the most eclectic station in the market because we don't tell the students what to play," he says. "But they're pretty astute about the local music scene. They try to promote it as much as possible."

KFMG's rise and fall

Ask Ron Sorenson what he thinks about the current state of radio in Des Moines and he'll answer with a question of his own: "Why would anybody listen to what's on radio these days?"

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who was on the music scene during the early 1990s who doesn't lament the loss of KFMG 103.3, the station Sorenson once co-owned. From April 21, 1992, to Aug. 1, 1996 - when it signed on and off with the Sons of Champlin's "Freedom" - KFMG embraced the local live music community like no other commercial station. From a 24-hour eclectic playlist that featured local and national acts (including those who were playing in town) to DJs who conducted artist interviews and reported on local music news, KFMG was the place where discerning music fans tuned into each day.

"People still tell me how much they miss KFMG," says Sorenson, who started working in radio in 1967. "They tell me they miss the opportunity to be exposed to new music."

KFMG strengthened its bond with the local music scene by playing local bands. Sorenson says it helped KFMG quickly build a grassroots following.

"That was key," he says. "We tried to lock up the local music scene in terms of players and venues. The other stations didn't care about that market. But we made a conscientious effort to play local music because it was good for the music market overall."

Sorenson says the same policy was applied to national bands, which had an indirect effect on the choices of concerts music fans were afforded.

"Ask people who book talent. They had a broader range of artists to draw from because we were willing to play them when others wouldn't," he says. "My assumption today is promoters are less likely to take a chance on an artist than when they got exposure on local radio."

Of course, taste also played a part in KFMG's success.

"If we thought it was good, we played it," Sorenson says. "My job was to listen to music and decide if it was good. We wanted people to be entertained."

At its peak, KFMG entertained10 percent of the radio audience, averaging 5 percent on a weekly basis. But a loss of $100,000 from damages to the station's office incurred by the flood of 1993 and a subsequent drop in advertising revenue eventually forced KFMG off the air.

"Had we been able to generate 5 percent of the revenues, we'd still be on the air," Sorenson says. "We were strong before the flood, but we were unable to recover. I fault ownership, which includes me, because we all came out of programming [backgrounds], not sales."

Competing technology

Broadcast radio doesn't just have one new competitor to contend with; it has four - the Internet, satellite radio (including television dishes), iPods and P2P networks. Though each medium allows music fans to enjoy a variety of music, they often choose one based on their technological skill level.

"We're going through another technology shift," says JŸnker, an avid MP3 user. "If you don't adapt, you don't survive.

"I haven't listened to radio in years. I've been into MP3 technology since it started and I've been able to circumvent the problem with radio by carrying my entire collection of music with me."

Some radio executives fear they may never attract the young listeners who grow up ignoring radio.

"Nobody has a definitive answer on how to reach young listeners," Becker says. "Maybe the best we can ask is that 20 years down the road from now they'll encounter other forms of music. Kids who are hung up on The White Stripes might discover other melodies by Mozart."

Askland says most of the Mews' clients, most of whom are Echo Boomers in their 20s, don't listen to commercial radio. "Radio is so terrible here, with the exception of NPR," he says. "They're smart fans who realize radio is pointless, so they listen to CDs and use MP3s and iPods. I think if we had a radio station that would play the kinds of things you hear in bigger markets they might check it out."

To stay in step with its clientele, the Mews is planning to add an MP3 page to its Web site where fans can listen to songs from bands scheduled to play there. "We're trying to build something that hasn't happened here and this might help get us over the hump," Askland says.

Though Junker advocates advances in technology, he says only radio can provide a sense of community. "I still appreciate good radio because it's a shared experience with thousands of other people," he says. "You want to experience life with other people, not in a box by yourself.

"I'd love to run a radio station. That would be a dream job. That would solve all the problems I'm trying to solve."

Segue to a new market

"We need radio if we want this town to get moving on things," says Askland of radio's role in the music community. "We're on the cusp of where we'd like to be and with radio onboard it would be a big step forward."

Askland's request, it appears, hasn't gone unnoticed by two radio executives who recognize the large gap between radio and the local music scene.

Iowa native Terry Peters, a vice president and marketing manager for Citadel Broadcasting Corp., which operates five stations in Des Moines, including KGGO and KJJY 92.5, is in the process of moving his family to Des Moines from Tampa, Fla. One of the first things he did when he started working here a few months ago was to investigate the music scene. A longtime musician and father of a drummer in an up-and-coming rock band, he has a vested interest in turning radio on to the music community.

"It's not where I want it to be six months from now," he says. "We're taking baby steps at Citadel. As far as I'm concerned, if the live music scene is working, radio is the better for it."

One of the changes Peters wants to implement is the addition of alt-country programming to its flagship country music station, KJJY. Though the alt-country movement is about 12 years old, acts like BR549, The Derailers, Junior Brown and Dale Watson could finally share airtime with Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain in Des Moines.

"The timing is perfect as country music is going through a change," Peters says. "It's a genre that should be huge here."

Citadel's Spanish-language station, KBGG 1700, is another sleeping giant. Peters says he wants to foster a relationship between KBGG and the Val Air Ballroom to promote Latin music concerts to his station's loyal audience.

"We're the mouthpiece for that segment of the community," he says. "They're looking for entertainment just like anyone else."

Peters is also talking to promoters to resurrect The Iowa Jam, an annual rock concert to be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, and talks are underway for a country music festival at Water Works Park this fall.

"I've had to scramble since I got here, but next year we'll be a well-oiled machine," he says. "We'll have major exclusive concerts in rock and country."

Finally, should the FCC approve a request in the next few weeks to transfer the radio license from one nonprofit group to another, Des Moines might welcome a new community radio station. Sorenson and a group of music insiders and businessmen are asking the FCC to transfer a radio license obtained by Hoyt Sherman Place to the Hotel Fort Des Moines where they will house and operate a station with less than 100 watts and a broadcast radius of about 3.5 miles. If successful, Sorenson says, the station could be on the air by the end of August.

"If approved, I think it will have a significant impact on the local music scene," he says.

Sorenson says the station would offer a variety of music, ranging from jazz and blues to adult rock and live performances. And he says this time around he'll know how to balance art and commerce.

"I think it will be easier to sell this time, because people know what happens when this kind of radio goes away," he says.
Truly though, that remains to be seen. So stay tuned. CV

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