WORDS / KODY FORD

For almost 30 years, four letters have signified independence in Little Rock radio – KABF. The 100,000 watt non-commercial, community station, located at 88.3 on the FM dial, is tucked away off of Main Street in the SOMA district has been a hub for a variety of programming from music to politics, reaching throughout central, southern and eastern Arkansas. Recently, they announced some programming changes and additions.

“Diverse block scheduling has always been and we think it’s been an asset as we are the only station in the state offering this type of programming,” said Bryan Frazier, assistant station manager.

KABF will continue its popular blues, jazz, and gospel programming, but is expanding its musical diversity with new programming opening up drive-times and other blocks for new local music, experimental, hip-hop, alternative and other shows listeners have demanded. Among the new music shows, Cheyenne Matthews is returning with the popular “Shoog Radio” on Tuesdays from 1pm to 3pm featuring all local music with Little Rock comedian, Amy Pannell, opening up for her on Tuesdays at noon.

Frazier is debuting a new Thursday morning drive-time with “Nevermind The Morning Show” featuring less talk, more music and emphasizing on college rock/pop airing 6am-9am.

Hip-hop and rap will expand on Saturday nights with Mike Jordan and guest DJ, local rap star, Epiphany from midnight to 2 A.M. “The Real Underground” hip-hop show will also be returning on Thursday nights from 10pm – midnight. On Thursday nights from 7 P.M. – 9 P.M. Rod Bryan returns with his special brand of music and commentary called “The ECO Psycho.” Tuesday nights get a dose of psychedelic rock with Jeff Dunman as “The Mystic Crambo Jones Show” airing 7 P.M. – 9 P.M. Alex Cox will debut her all girl rock show with “GIRLS!” airing Thursdays at 9pm. Mike Martinez is also bringing back the best and newest alternative rock Friday nights 10 P.M.  – midnight with “The Underground Takeover.” Martinez continues his popular dance show, “The Rhythm Room” on Fridays from midnight – 2 A.M.

“The community can expect more outreach in the forms of even more engaging shows and more modern techniques of communication such as remote broadcasting unit using an iPad and a mic via Skype to connect to the station from any location to cover events and shows,” Frazier said. “We are also partnering with bigger and more popular organizations that the community will know about very soon.”

The new schedule also doubles down the KABF commitment to the community. The Labor Show is returning, hosted by Toney Orr, Arkansas Director of Local 100, United Labor Unions on Thursdays at 9:30 A.M. “Open Air Space” (Earth and Sky show) with Christina Lynn and Ben Bell will debut as well on Thursdays at 9:30 P.M. The Friday morning interview will roll at 9 A.M. with Wade Rathke, KABF station manager, along with daily reports on “Peoples’ News” and the “Chief Organizer Reports.” A home-repair, “fixit” show will be broadcast on Saturdays at 11 A.M. with Gary Butler, a Pulaski County construction manager who formerly did a show on KARK radio some years ago.

Perhaps most importantly, KABF is launching its Community News department for the first time with an emphasis on reports from “citizen journalists” filing audio reports on local news throughout the KABF broadcast area whether reports from the Clinton School or Hillcrest or rural Pulaski County or Warren and Hot Springs. The show will debut on Fridays at 2 P.M. for an hour and expand as this exciting experiment in radio “crowd sourcing” continues.

KABF recently kicked off their spring pledge drive with a  party on May 4 at the Rev Room in Little Rock. The stations relies heavily on community support in the form of pledge drives, fundraising events and engaging programs to remain the “voice of the people.” Donations can be made via PayPal on their website and the pledge drive will last from May 4 – 18.

“We are the ONLY independent station broadcasting at [100,000 watts], said Frazier. “We even rival the power levels of corporate commercial stations. Because of our power and independence, I truly believe KABF has the potential for great things in central Arkansas.”

Visit: KABF.org.

 

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