KCCK in 2010

In 2010, KCCK remains an important tool of community enrichment for Kirkwood, not just in Eastern Iowa, but throughout Iowa and even around the world.  KCCK extends the mission of Kirkwood Community College to foster opportunities for Lifelong Learning by informing, educating and entertaining our various audiences through high-quality radio programming and special events….  Through KCCK, Kirkwood provides an educational service that benefits the entire community, even those who will never set foot on campus or take a class.

This year, we celebrate 35 years of All That Jazz.

KCCK has taken advantage of technological advances in the early 21st Century to enhance our local service through a conversion to HD Radio, providing CD-quality audio to local listeners.  A second channel of digital audio provides specialized, niche programs produced by us and by partners in other communities.   Consolidation of the regents’ stations created excess capacity in Des Moines, Dubuque and Davenport, and lease agreements for those translators has extended our reach into much of Iowa. 

Online listening has tripled, because of a marketing campaign in areas of Iowa where our over-the-air signal doesn’t reach.  Listenership in Cedar Rapids-Iowa City is over 20,000 per week, a 25% increase since 2005, due to more focused and consistent marketing. Several hours of programming each week originate from facilities on the Kirkwood Iowa City campus.

KCCK continues to serve the community through education and outreach as well as broadcasting.  The addition of an Education Director (a shared position between KCCK and KCC Arts & Humanities) has helped us grow Schoolhouse Jazz into a program that serves 20 elementary and middle schools each year in Kirkwood’s seven-county service area.  Under the direction of Kirkwood jazz faculty, KCC student performers go into the elementary schools to give clinics and perform for the children.  For the first time, there is a consistent relationship between Kirkwood fine arts and K-12 faculty and students, beginning at the elementary level.  Ten high-school student artists each year are recognized through the Artist of the Month program, and KCCK works with coffee shops and other venues to provide regular places for student combos to play. 

For the 23rd year in a row, Jazz Under The Stars comes to Noelridge Park in August.  The community jazz education program, Jazz at the ‘Brary has expanded to take place at the public libraries in both Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.  KCCK offers its broadcast of the Iowa City Jazz Festival nationally to the public radio system. 

In uncertain financial times, the College needs to make sure every dollar is spent wisely.  The budget allocation and in-kind services to KCCK are some of the most cost-efficient expenditures the College makes, returning value in many different forms.

KCCK offers employment and internship opportunities to communications and journalism students, notably a 1-year full-time paid internship in KCCK’s news department which brings extra publicity to campus events and personalities, as well as increasing our ability to cover events in the community.  “Kirkwood Focus,” a weekly 15-minute interview program, spotlights the people and news at Kirkwood.

Kirkwood continues to be recognized on the air multiple times each hour, as well as through regularly scheduled announcements that promote credit, non-credit and Fine Arts programs and events.  Kirkwood is also recognized as a major or contributing sponsor at all KCCK community events and educational programs (between 30 and 35 events annually), as well as KCCK marketing and advertising.  If this exposure had to be purchased, the bill would be over $250,000 each year. 

While fund raising is always a challenge, KCCK’s income base is solid.  This year, we will crack the magic $225,000 in fund raising.  Ten companies and individuals contribute at the Ellington Circle level ($2500 and above).  The Blue Note Society ($1000+) numbers 25.  Ten members have included KCCK in their estate plans.  Corporate underwriting is over $100,000, due to the addition of an underwriting sales person who works on a contract basis.  A popular special event raises another $50,000.

In 2010, over-the-air radio in general, and KCCK in particular, has competition for the ear of the listener we couldn’t even imagine five years ago.  But we look at all opportunities and problems through the lens of how they might enhance or affect our mission to enrich the community and be a positive force for Lifelong Learning in Kirkwood’s service area and beyond.


KCCK Five-Year Vision

Our Mission

Music…it is a part of every human culture and society.  We are entertained by it, we are moved by it.  At KCCK we use jazz music, one of the few original American art forms, to enrich people’s lives, through radio, other technology and outreach events.

Our Vision

KCCK will extend the mission of Kirkwood Community College to promote Lifelong Learning by informing, educating and entertaining our various audiences through high-quality radio programming and special events….  Through KCCK, Kirkwood provides an educational service that benefits the entire community, even those who will never set foot on campus or take a class.

Major Initiatives

Technology/Facility Expansion

  • Complete conversion to HD Radio by end of 2005 (Grant and matching funds already in place)
  • Implement second-channel audio made possible by HD technology when it becomes available, and if programming needs warrant.
  • Extend service into other Iowa markets (largely dependent on outcome of Regents’ consolidation)
  • Have audio-streaming hardware, software, and backups in place to support increased listening and reliance on this service (see below).

Audience Expansion

  • Advertise in other markets (Beginning with Des Moines, Davenport and Cedar Falls) to encourage online listening.  Use positioner “Iowa’s Jazz Station.”
  • Extend on-air service into these markets if possible (see above).
  • Increase Cedar Rapids-Iowa City audience by 25% through outside advertising and marketing.

Education and Outreach

  • Continue Jazz Under The Stars.  Expansion/enhancements might include:
    • Involve more student players, either with headliners or as supporting acts.
    • Use the concerts more effectively for fund development, make paid patron activities (meals, preferred parking) available.
  • Expand Jazz at the ‘Brary into Iowa City (begun for 2005).
  • Grow Schoolhouse Jazz by:
    • Increasing elementary/middle schools served to at least 20.
    • Implementing Student Artist of the Month honor for HS programs.
    • Implementing Student concert series, working with coffee shops or other appropriate venues.
  • Serve KCCK need for a second news reporter/anchor position by creating a paid, year-long internship for a KCC student, which also will include class credit.  This person would be a de-facto full-time KCCK staffer, covering outside news events, writing and producing newscasts and participating in other staff activities, to receive a top-notch field experience.

Return maximum value to KCC in return for continued investment in KCCK.

  • Continue and create promotional opportunities for KCC that will have a minimum value of $250,000 annually.  These will include:
    • Airing a weekly “Kirkwood Focus” program, highlighting campus events, programs, faculty and staff.
    • Promotion of Kirkwood and its programs, and support of KCC initiatives.
      • Recognize KCC as KCCK’s “home” and licensee 3-4 times each hour.
      • Promote KCC programs, both credit and non-credit, through an underwriting contract valued at minimum $10,000 annually.
      • Highlight KCCK concerts and Fine Arts events and programs.
      • Recognize KCC as a supporting sponsor at all KCCK events and at events jointly sponsored by KCCK and other organizations whenever possible (current level:  31 events each year).
    • Utilize KCC faculty and other experts in news and feature programming whenever possible.
    • Give news coverage to KCC events and programs, and track that coverage.

Fund and Resource Development

  • Increase annual campaign fund raising through membership drives and annual gifts to $225,000 annually.
    • Minimum of 10 donors at Ellington Circle level ($2500+).
    • Minimum of 25 donors at Blue Note Society level ($1000)
    • Minimum of 15 planned gifts.
  • Increase corporate underwriting to $100,000
  • Implement a special event, or series of special events that raise at least $50,000.

Capacity

In order to fulfill these goals, KCCK will need to increase capacity in the following areas:

  • Technology/Facilities
    • Invest in enhancements made possible by HD radio conversion as they are developed.
    • Purchase/lease new frequencies if they become available.
    • Beef up Internet audio server, work out system to track streaming users.
  • Staffing
    • Create position of Education Director (possible shared with new or existing KCC position)
    • Create Full-time News Reporter/Intern position, with credit for qualifying KCC students.
    • Create Underwriting Sales Position—might be contract/commission.
    • Work with Marketing/Public Information to recruite a host for “Kirkwood Focus” program.

Ownership

Owing to its unique structure and mission at the College, KCCK staff recognize we will only achieve our shared vision and goals through our individual and team efforts.  In the visioning process, there was general agreement on the broad goals, and input from each team member to help shape the initiatives.  Over and over again, the KCCK team has demonstrated commitment and dedication to the station and the college.  We strive to create a positive image for our stakeholders, many of whose only connection to Kirkwood is through KCCK.

Support

KCCK benefits greatly from the support of Kirkwood, both operationally and from being a part of the KCCK “family.”  We are well served by the staff development and other activities available to us through Kirkwood.  Internally, because we are such a small team, by definition we must support each other and hold each other accountable.  Our communication is regular and positive.

Dashboard Indicators

With measurable metrics such as audience and fund raising, developing useable indicators should not be complicated.  And, in fact, the basics are already in place for such reporting.  As our education programs evolve, creating indicators for them will be a part of program development.

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