KFMG Radio: A Study in Independence Creating Relevance

The listener-supported service of the Des Moines Community Radio Foundation forges ahead, playing a pivotal role in artist discovery and awareness

It’s beautiful to see (and hear) human ingenuity and altruistic passion come together to create a meaningful and lasting legacy like KFMG Radio. Ron Sorenson, the station’s fearless leader, sat down with me to discuss the history of the Des Moines Community Radio Foundation’s primary service.

With an origin story that begin in the late 1960s, KFMG has continued to evolve and adapt to survive by any means necessary with the admirable mission to just “turn people on to good music.” Currently located in the artist-friendly Mainframe Studios in downtown Des Moines and at 98.9 FM within the Des Moines’ city limits, KFMG has taken a circuitous journey on the Iowa radio dial and is now streamed worldwide to the delight of many listeners. Often a victim of commercial cannibalization and radio profiteering, KFMG has remained loyal to providing their “subjective determination of musical quality” even though that wasn’t the advocated business model by many a suit in the room over the years.

Thankfully for Iowa’s independent music scene, KFMG has always been about the music, not whatever the newest profit model might be. The station and its staff believe in “sharing music not played in the main,” or in other words from Ron, “we listen to it and identify good music to share.”

Ron, Gary Monte, and an amazing cast of volunteers support and encourage new music by getting it to the airwaves for more ears to enjoy. They pay special attention to music created in the state of Iowa. Since 2007, KFMG has aired Iowa Homegrown in some fashion, featuring three consecutive hours of music with unique ties to the Hawkeye State. In addition, they feature an Iowa artist at least once an hour during regular programming.

“All versions of KFMG have been committed to sharing music from our community. It’s always been part of the mission. We are blessed to live with incredible musicians among us, and this town isn’t loaded with record labels like larger markets, so we work hard to share local music because it’s important,” says Ron.

KFMG is technically an Adult Album Alternative (AAA) format. You’ll hear adult rock, blues, jazz, world and reggae in addition to an array of specialty shows featuring genres like Celtic music. It’s diverse—curated by individuals with a love for music, art and community. And it’s non-commercial, so the breaks are short and typically filled with other useful information such as upcoming concerts at local venues like the beautiful Hoyt Sherman Place.

Former Iowa Poet Laureate Jim Autry reads poetry on One Word After Another, a program that weaves seamlessly into the tapestry of the KFMG vibe, as does Linda Mason Hunter’s The Green Zone, featuring tips to support the environment. It’s friendly, it’s informative, it’s intriguing and it’s independent, making it even more special in these times.

In a world of constant consolidation, local flavor is all too often overlooked. It’s not aligned with the more efficient methods of profiteering, making it easy to ignore. In our conversation, Ron shares that he was never so much “into radio but into music,” a bright line that becomes more noticeable with this distinction.

Others in the scene were into making “radio” a business. Ron and his cohorts were passionate about sharing music altruistically, once quitting live on air during a hostile takeover from a new management group with Stoner Broadcasting that reneged on a promise to keep the variety of album-oriented radio rocking. The new management decided to go from 10,000 songs in the library to a paltry 150-200, ignoring a signed petition from over 6000 local listeners. This was a non-negotiable offense in the opinion of Ron and other music-loving hosts, and it led to an on-air resignation and hours of dead air.

It’s hard to be independent in a world obsessed with economic growth, but independence allows so much magic to occur in our lives. If not for the passion of others to independently share and explore, even more art would go unnoticed and unengaged.

“Independent radio is still important. It's so much more in touch with the local audiences than most corporate stations,” says Gary Monte, host of KFMG’s World’s Longest Morning Show, “I got out of radio in the early 2000s, when big corporations like iHeartRadio bought numerous stations nationwide; and actually, thought I was done with radio for good. Hell, I was working at a video store, when...I got lucky and found KFMG. It's a station that endeavors to serve Des Moines, and more through streaming. KFMG spotlights local people, events, a variety of cultural venues, music and musicians...it's a great example of why independent radio can be a vital part of any community.”

As Ron looks back on his storied career, he says it’s the connection with listeners over the years that means the most to him. “I probably most enjoy hearing from people that tell me ‘I’ve heard so much new music I now love because of KFMG’ — we’ve turned people on to good music which is what it’s always been about.”

Since 1968, when Ron became the substitute host for The Late Folks show, he’s worked hard “to identify good music” and share it with his central Iowa community. Over the years, KFMG has survived corporate buyouts and radical technological changes even broadcasting in the 1970s on cable boxes. In the late 1990s, the FCC began to realize how homogenized the corporate radio business had become and opened up more options on the dial through low-power licensing. KFMG was granted one of these licenses and has been giving great life to 98.9 FM on the dial in Des Moines since 2007. It’s a 100-watt station with just a 4-to-5-mile radius, but it operates with such heart that fans around the country find a way to tune in and let Ron, Gary, Abe, Linda, John, Jim, Kim and others take it from there.

KFMG is a listener-supported 501c3. They rely on volunteers and donations to make the magic happen. It’s a smart way for local entities to reach an audience that also cares deeply about the artistic and musical communities in Iowa through underwriting support.

If you want to catch up on the Iowa scene, just start listening to KFMG and you’ll quickly hear the likes of the Weary Ramblers, Andrew Hoyt, William Elliot Whitmore, Patresa Hartman, The Finesse, B. John Burns, Brother Trucker and so many other Iowa artists integrated into the daily programming. Iowa Homegrown also airs every Sunday from 2-5p solely featuring the Iowa scene. I’m sitting in the big chair volunteering this Sunday, May 25th, if you’d like to come along for the ride you can stream here or just ask Alexa to stream KFMG.

Lastly, Friday, June 6th from 5-8 PM is a First Friday celebration at Mainframe Studios, showcasing the many amazing non-profits that call this great space in downtown Des Moines home. KFMG will be conducting a silent auction fundraiser featuring unique physical copies of music as part of the festivities. The Central Iowa Blues Society, a terrific partner of KFMG, is providing music in The Big Room with Bob Pace’s Iowa Blues Hall of Fame Showcase Band doing the honors. It’ll no doubt be a great groove.

To find more stories and insights across the state of Iowa, please consider following and supporting the many talented journalists and storytellers of the Iowa Writer’s Collaborative of which I’m a proud member.

You can stream my original music on all platforms and learn more about me at www.chipalbrightmusic.com. My next show is a free solo performance on Friday, May 30th at the new xBk Annex in Des Moines at 7pm. Local indie rock band Lady Revel will headline their album release next door with Munk Rivers opening inside xBk proper at 8pm on the same night. I’ll be spinning some tunes from both of these bands on Iowa Homegrown.

Also, here is the Zoom link for this month’s Office Lounge for paid subscribers to the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. It’s a lively conversation held on the last Friday of the month at noon and hosted by Robert Leonard.