KRNA
Encyclopedia
KRNA is a radio station
licensed to Iowa City, Iowa
, with studios in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
. The transmitter for the station is located west of Oxford, Iowa
. The station currently has an active rock
format. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
.
students formed a company known as Communicators Inc. of Iowa that aimed "to put together a radio station with a major market sound in what was basically a small-to-medium market." At the time, FM
radio stations in Iowa were primarily used for beautiful music
formats or repeater signals for co-owned AM
stations while popular music
was played on AM stations. By 1974, Communicators Inc. of Iowa had been renamed KRNA, Inc., and the company was granted FCC
approval to begin broadcasting. KRNA began broadcasting at 93.5 FM on October 4, 1974. (KRNA later moved to 93.7, and then to 93.9 FM before moving to its present 94.1 FM in 1991.) By January 1975, Arbitron
telephone surveys showed that nearly half of local radio listeners were turned into KRNA. As part of its "major market sound", KRNA pre-recorded its commercial announcements during a time when most commercials were read live on the air, and it also broadcast 24 hours a day while other radio stations signed off during the overnight hours for equipment maintenance.
In 1994, KRNA purchased the former KQCR radio (102.9 FM) in Cedar Rapids to create the area's first radio duopoly
. After reformatting KQCR as country music
station KXMX, owners Rob Norton and Eliot Keller agreed to sell KRNA and KXMX to Capstar Broadcasting in 1998. While the KRNA sale was successful, Capstar terminated the agreement to buy KXMX. (Norton and Keller kept KXMX, renaming it KZIA
and changing the station's format to contemporary hits
.) AMFM, Inc., acquired Capstar in 1999, and Clear Channel Communications
acquired AMFM in 2000; however, KRNA was sold to Cumulus Media
that year since Clear Channel already owned a group of stations in eastern Iowa. Today, KRNA broadcasts from the APAC
building in downtown Cedar Rapids with Cumulus-owned stations KHAK
, KDAT
, and KRQN
.
In 2004 KRNA's format shifted from classic rock
to active rock, adopting the nickname "Real Rock 94.1". That year, former KFMW
morning DJ's Lou Waters and Scott Steele became the station's morning-drive disc jockey
s. Lou and Scott were replaced by Davenport
-based DJ's Greg Dwyer and Bill Michaels in January 2007. Dwyer and Michaels
joined KRNA as the result of a non-compete clause
that prevented them from working at any station in the Quad Cities
market for six months after their contract with Clear Channel Communications expired at the end of 2006. Dwyer and Michaels, who had previously worked with WXLP
and KCQQ
radio in the Quad Cities, rejoined Cumulus-owned WXLP on July 13, 2007, but continued to simulcast their show on KRNA until late 2008. Clear Channel sued Dwyer and Michaels in February 2007, claiming that KRNA was audible in the Quad Cities area and the duo was actively promoting the show in the Quad Cities. On March 1, 2007, a Scott County
judge ruled that Dwyer and Michaels did not violate the clause since Arbitron
did not consider the Quad Cities part of KRNA's market area.
For many years, KRNA was known for distributing free posters of the Iowa Hawkeyes
men's basketball team at live remote broadcasts. This tradition began in the late 1970s, and while the posters are now sold by the University of Iowa athletic department, they continue to be printed under the sponsorship of KZIA.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, with studios in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
. The transmitter for the station is located west of Oxford, Iowa
Oxford, Iowa
Oxford is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 705 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oxford is located at ....
. The station currently has an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
format. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
History
In 1971, a group of University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
students formed a company known as Communicators Inc. of Iowa that aimed "to put together a radio station with a major market sound in what was basically a small-to-medium market." At the time, FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
radio stations in Iowa were primarily used for beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
formats or repeater signals for co-owned AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
stations while popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
was played on AM stations. By 1974, Communicators Inc. of Iowa had been renamed KRNA, Inc., and the company was granted FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
approval to begin broadcasting. KRNA began broadcasting at 93.5 FM on October 4, 1974. (KRNA later moved to 93.7, and then to 93.9 FM before moving to its present 94.1 FM in 1991.) By January 1975, Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
telephone surveys showed that nearly half of local radio listeners were turned into KRNA. As part of its "major market sound", KRNA pre-recorded its commercial announcements during a time when most commercials were read live on the air, and it also broadcast 24 hours a day while other radio stations signed off during the overnight hours for equipment maintenance.
In 1994, KRNA purchased the former KQCR radio (102.9 FM) in Cedar Rapids to create the area's first radio duopoly
Duopoly (broadcasting)
In United States broadcast television and radio, duopoly is a term used to describe a single company which owns two or more stations in the same city or community....
. After reformatting KQCR as country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
station KXMX, owners Rob Norton and Eliot Keller agreed to sell KRNA and KXMX to Capstar Broadcasting in 1998. While the KRNA sale was successful, Capstar terminated the agreement to buy KXMX. (Norton and Keller kept KXMX, renaming it KZIA
KZIA
KZIA, known as "Z 102.9", is a radio station based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It has a Top 40 format primarily staffed with local personalities, including morning DJ's Scott Schulte and Ric Swann...
and changing the station's format to contemporary hits
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
.) AMFM, Inc., acquired Capstar in 1999, and Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
acquired AMFM in 2000; however, KRNA was sold to Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
that year since Clear Channel already owned a group of stations in eastern Iowa. Today, KRNA broadcasts from the APAC
APAC Customer Services
APAC Customer Services provides customer care outsourcing solutions with business process outsourcing services to the Fortune 500. The company serves its clients from 17 office locations in four countries: United States, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Uruguay, along with select US-based,...
building in downtown Cedar Rapids with Cumulus-owned stations KHAK
KHAK
KHAK is a radio station that broadcasts a country music format to the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, Iowa area. Licensed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa the station is currently owned by Cumulus Media. Its tower is also near Cedar Rapids, broadcasting the Signal at 100,000 Watts.- History :KHAK is one of the...
, KDAT
KDAT
KDAT is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary music format. Licensed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, the station serves the Cedar Rapids area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media.-External links:*...
, and KRQN
KRQN
KRQN is a radio station broadcasting a Rhythmic-leaning Top 40 music format, billed as "i107.1." Licensed to Vinton, Iowa, USA, the station serves the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. The station is currently owned by George S. Flinn, Jr. but is operated by Cumulus Media under a time brokerage...
.
In 2004 KRNA's format shifted from classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
to active rock, adopting the nickname "Real Rock 94.1". That year, former KFMW
KFMW
KFMW, known as "Rock 108", is a radio station based in Waterloo, Iowa. The station has an active rock format. Its signal is transmitted from the AFLAC Tower north of Rowley, Iowa.-History:...
morning DJ's Lou Waters and Scott Steele became the station's morning-drive disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s. Lou and Scott were replaced by Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
-based DJ's Greg Dwyer and Bill Michaels in January 2007. Dwyer and Michaels
Dwyer and Michaels
Greg Dwyer and Bill Obenauf, aka Bill Michaels, are the radio personalities and website authors known as Dwyer and Michaels. On air together since the late 1980s, they write, host and produce a popular morning show in the U.S. Midwest currently running on WXLP-FM in the Quad Cities. Their show was...
joined KRNA as the result of a non-compete clause
Non-compete clause
A non-compete clause , or covenant not to compete , is a term used in contract law under which one party agrees not to pursue a similar profession or trade in competition against another party . As a contract provision, a CNC is bound by traditional contract requirements including the...
that prevented them from working at any station in the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
market for six months after their contract with Clear Channel Communications expired at the end of 2006. Dwyer and Michaels, who had previously worked with WXLP
WXLP
WXLP is a Quad Cities area commercial Classic Hits radio station, licensed to Moline, Illinois. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, with studios located in Davenport, Iowa ....
and KCQQ
KCQQ
KCQQ is an FM radio station licensed to Davenport, Iowa with a classic rock format. The station's frequency is 106.5 MHz, and broadcasts at a power of 100 kW, with transmitter located in rural LeClaire in Scott County....
radio in the Quad Cities, rejoined Cumulus-owned WXLP on July 13, 2007, but continued to simulcast their show on KRNA until late 2008. Clear Channel sued Dwyer and Michaels in February 2007, claiming that KRNA was audible in the Quad Cities area and the duo was actively promoting the show in the Quad Cities. On March 1, 2007, a Scott County
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
judge ruled that Dwyer and Michaels did not violate the clause since Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
did not consider the Quad Cities part of KRNA's market area.
For many years, KRNA was known for distributing free posters of the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
men's basketball team at live remote broadcasts. This tradition began in the late 1970s, and while the posters are now sold by the University of Iowa athletic department, they continue to be printed under the sponsorship of KZIA.