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KOJC

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Coordinates: 41°58′44″N 91°40′7″W / 41.97889°N 91.66861°W / 41.97889; -91.66861
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KOJC
Frequency89.7 MHz
Programming
FormatDefunct (was Community/variety)
Ownership
OwnerOakhill-Jackson Economic Development Corporation
History
First air date
June 30, 1978
Last air date
1993
Call sign meaning
Oak Hill Jackson Community
Technical information
ClassA
ERP210 watts
HAAT27 m (89 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°58′44″N 91°40′7″W / 41.97889°N 91.66861°W / 41.97889; -91.66861

KOJC was a radio station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, owned by the Oakhill-Jackson Economic Development Corporation. The station operated from June 1978 to 1997 and provided programming by and for the African American community in Cedar Rapids.

History

The Oakhill-Jackson Economic Development Corporation received the construction permit for a new 10-watt FM radio station on September 28, 1976 after the idea was born at a community meeting in 1974. The station was built with a string of donations: two classrooms from St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, a tower site donated by Cargill, as well as donated studio equipment and furniture.[1] KOJC planned to include in its programming broadcasts from black churches, Mutual Black Network news, and other specials.[1] The station signed on the air the evening of June 30, 1978,[2] originally operating on weekends only until it expanded to seven-day operation in November.[3] The station had 15 volunteers by year's end,[4] adding the Mutual Black Network newscasts and children's programming in early 1979.[5] Several children aged 5 through 13 were involved in the production of the youth shows.[6]

KOJC moved in 1981 to new facilities at 626 Fifth Ave. SE.[7] Three years later, it boosted its power to 200 watts.[8] After a rough period for donations in the early 1980s, the station's financial situation was stabilizing by 1984;[8] one of those donations came as part of a settlement in a dispute over the use of minority contractors at the Cedar Rapids airport.[9] By the mid-1980s, Iowa was home to three of the country's ten African American, community-owned stations: KOJC, KUCB-FM in Des Moines and KBBG in Waterloo, which were all profiled in a 1984 documentary by Iowa Public Television.[10] Further upgrades came in 1989 with a new studio at 1052 Mount Vernon Road SE, its fourth—and final—studio site.[11]

Support faded for KOJC in the early 1990s,[12] with fewer donations, increased debt, and an internal struggle among the group's board members, ultimately prompting the station to cease operations in the summer of 1993.[13] In March 1996, the Federal Communications Commission ordered the Oakhill-Jackson Economic Development Corporation to show cause why its license should not be revoked.[14] In the hearing, Oakhill-Jackson failed to appear. Despite an attempt to sell the station to Friendship Communications, owner of KWOF in Waterloo, and obtain reconsideration of the decision to revoke the license and delete the call letters,[13] because Oakhill itself had no intention of returning KOJC to the air, the FCC upheld its decision in September 1997, deleting the license.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b Shelton, Vanessa (May 7, 1978). "Black-oriented radio station to debut soon". Cedar Rapids Gazette. p. 16A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  2. ^ "Minority station goes on the air". Des Moines Register. July 1, 1978. p. 2B. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  3. ^ "KOJC going to seven-day operation". Cedar Rapids Gazette. October 29, 1978. p. 7A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  4. ^ "Growth marks early months of KOJC". Cedar Rapids Gazette. December 1, 1978. p. 11A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  5. ^ "Radio KOJC-FM expands news, youth programming". Cedar Rapids Gazette. March 17, 1979. p. 7A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Shelton, Vanessa (June 17, 1979). "Minority-oriented radio station celebrating first anniversary". Cedar Rapids Gazette. p. 15A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "KOJC celebrates birthday". Cedar Rapids Gazette. June 27, 1981. p. 5B. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Robert Irwin: President, deejay and repairman at KOJC". Cedar Rapids Gazette. April 4, 1984. p. 4E. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  9. ^ "Donation to minority radio station part of settlement in airport dispute". October 28, 1983. p. 10A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "'Black Frequencies'". Des Moines Register. August 12, 1984. p. 3-TV. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Williamson, Lisa Ann (July 15, 1989). "11 years of progress on display at KOJC". Cedar Rapids Gazette. p. 5A. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  12. ^ DeWitte, Dave (August 23, 2009). "World radio: Internet radio startup to give C.R. minorities musical outreach". Cedar Rapids Gazette. p. 11B. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Friendship Communications (July 29, 1996). "Petition for Reconsideration" (PDF). Retrieved September 18, 2019. (Includes letters from Oakhill to the FCC)
  14. ^ Federal Communications Commission (March 19, 1996). "In the Matter of Oakhill-Jackson Economic Development Corporation; Order to Show Cause Why the License for Station KOJC(FM) Cedar Rapids, Iowa Should Not be Revoked" (PDF). Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  15. ^ FCC Mass Media Bureau (September 19, 1997). "Memorandum Opinion and Order" (PDF). Retrieved September 18, 2019.
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