Internet radio startup to give C.R. minorities musical outreach

Cedar Rapids' newest Internet radio station is giving the African-American community a global connection.

The New KOJC started broadcasting in January, borrowing its name from the non-profit Oakhill-Jackson Community radio station that faded out in the 1990s because of lack of support.

Unlike its namesake, The New KOJC is for profit. Founders Karl Cassell and Gregory Jackson say it could be the first of several community ventures launched by their firm, In Our Community LLC.

Neither Cassell nor Jackson is making money on The New KOJC - at least not yet. Cassell, company CEO, is keeping his day job as executive director of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission. Jackson, formerly an engineer at Rockwell Collins, is vice president. His broadcast engineering experience - at a radio station in his former hometown of Indianapolis - has been a big asset.

Jackson and Cassell share a disdain for most commercial radio. They say the trend toward centrally programmed formula radio doesn't respond to the needs of local communities, and too often favors songs that give the African-American community a negative image with profane and overtly sexual lyrics.

They considered applying for an FM license but decided instead that Internet broadcasting is the platform of the future, because of the growing popularity of Smartphones and other mobile devices that allow for Internet radio listening in most well-traveled areas.

Launching the station on the Web allows the company to offer such things as podcasts and streaming video that could never have been offered by an FM-only station, Jackson said.

“We want to push our folks,” Jackson said. “It is time that we become as technically savvy as we can.”

The station's standards will be one of its biggest distinctions, however.

“You're not going to hear things that will make you embarrassed for your kids to hear,” Cassell said. “If you're ashamed to play it for your grandmother, it can't be played on our station.”

Sunday programming includes gospel services from local churches and recorded gospel music.

The Rev. Damian Epps of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids said the response to services broadcast on The New KOJC has been surprising. His listeners include former members of his congregation in California.

“It's amazing the word can go forward beyond the walls of this building and reach not only those in Cedar Rapids but throughout the world,” he said.

Epps said he often receives comments on his sermon on his Facebook page by the time the service is over and he can get back to his computer.

The Rev. Cymaron Dawson of Living Waters Kingdom Church also has been in discussions to begin broadcasting services over The New KOJC. Dawson, a gospel music producer, says the station is helping provide access to gospel music in a city where it's nearly impossible to find on commercial radio. While many gospel fans would not be likely users of Internet radio, he thinks The New KOJC will help open their minds to the medium's possibilities.

The New KOJC targets an audience between 25 and 54 who like to listen to music at the office and at home. Its appeal to African-American adults extends beyond office hours, however.

On weekdays and Saturdays, most of The New KOJC's programming is jazz, blues, R & B and contemporary music. The mood is uniformly upbeat.

The station's mellow sound sometimes resembles the “quiet storm” format popular on late-night radio in some urban areas. Named after a 1975 release by Smokey Robinson, the format features long, soulful jams perfect for relaxation and intimacy.

Cassell and Jackson started the venture with their own money, and are covering operating expenses until the station gains a sound financial footing. The station's slogan is “Keep on jamming continuously,” and that's what it does, operating from the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts, 1600 Fourth Ave. SE.

Cassell and Jackson hope to attract advertising and contributions from community organizations and large employers who agree with the station's goals of community engagement and projecting a positive image for Cedar Rapids' African-American community.

Jackson gets excited when he talks about the growing traffic on the site. The New KOJC gets hits from as far away as Slovenia and Spain.

On-air talent includes LaSheila Yates, “the real Southern diva.” A native of Louisiana, Yates owns a diversity training company in Cedar Rapids. She hosts Community Dialogue, an hourlong program at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Yates, the station's public affairs director, recently moderated The New KOJC's first community forum, an effort to build connections in the community. About 60 attended a recent forum at the Jane Boyd Community House.

Yates says many of The New KOJC's staff moved to Cedar Rapids from other places, and are attuned to the needs of new arrivals in Cedar Rapids.

“We want to make sure they're proactively getting involved in the community,” Yates said.

LaSheila Yates' husband, Christopher Yates, is the station's production engineer.

Jackson's wife, Marcia Newell Jackson, is a gospel singer who brings experience from a radio station in Kingston, Jamaica. She hosts “Caribbean Vibes” from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, featuring music of the Caribbean islands.

Gregory Jackson's “Old Skool Music in the Afternoon” runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Other programs include “Music With a Message” by Cory Taylor (Jesse Martinez) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. weeknights.