KCJJ returning to Iowa City

When the city of Coralville took a pass at buying radio station KCJJ, owner and program director Steve Soboroff knew it was time to move.

'We know when we're not wanted,” Soboroff said of the station's relationship with the city.

In an effort to save money and win back Iowa City advertisers, KCJJ this week will move from Coralville to its previous location in Iowa City. The station plans to start broadcasting Monday morning from the newly renovated station in Iowa City.

'It just makes sense to cut our losses and move back there,” Soboroff said.

Soboroff said he spent $200,000 moving the radio station to Coralville.

In the new location, Soboroff said he expects the station to save $5,000 to $6,000 a month.

In 2007, the city of Coralville and the radio station agreed to a 10-year rental agreement, where the city would pay KCJJ's rent in return for on-air advertising.

After city officials took a pass on buying the station, Soboroff said he decided to move KCJJ back to Iowa City instead of spending $60,000 to $70,000 to operate in Coralville without the financial support of the city.

'They can rent out the space, and we can cut our losses,” he said. 'I mean it's a radio station, nobody cares, it's going to sound the same over there as it sounded here.”

Ellen Habel, assistant city administrator, said the decision to cut short the rental agreement was mutual and makes sense for the city and the radio station.

'We certainly hope it works out well for them,” she said.

Soboroff said he had hoped Coralville would buy the station, or approve an extension on the rental agreement to allow the station to find an alternative buyer.

'I think I've wasted $200,000 ... that's a hard thing to live with,” Soboroff said of the move. 'But it really hasn't done anything for us.”

When the station moved in 2007, Soboroff said the city council was supportive of KCJJ and understood the value of having a local radio station that covered Coralville community events.

With new members on the council, he said that perception changed and support for the station has mostly dried up.

'They're a fantastic community radio station and I'm real sorry to see them leave Coralville,” said State Rep. Dave Jacoby, who worked to get the station to move during his time on the Coralville City Council. He said the station was one of the first businesses in the Iowa River Landing and allowed the city to promote community-based fundraisers, broadcast updates on city departments and advertise Coralville events.

Soboroff said he is excited to move into the Iowa City station and looks forward to bringing back some of the station's traditions that were not allowed at the Coralville location, such as shooting off fireworks outside and displaying their 'tube man.”

Soboroff, who originally planned to step down from the station in 2017 after the rental agreement ended, said moving to the new location has renewed his commitment to KCJJ.

'It just feels like home,” Soboroff said of returning to the Iowa City location. '(The Coralville location) just hasn't felt like home. I don't know how else to put it.”