Maxwell Shaeffer will be our Potluck guest today
…veteran local radio talent ousted by WHO-AM radio in March, tells all and let’s us know what he’s doing now
Buckle up Buttercup. Maxwell Shaeffer will be our Potluck podcast guest today.
One of central Iowa’s beloved on-air radio guys will join us from noon to 1 p.m. Below is a link to the Zoom call.
For years, Max was the voice we heard introducing classic songs on KIOA radio. He’s also beloved by local theater lovers who have applauded his multiple roles performed on the stage of the Des Moines Community Playhouse.
Max has been a part of our lives, so when he was abruptly let go from KIOA radio in 2018, many rose up and wanted to rush to his support.
Van Harden, the former program director for WHO-AM radio, scored the get, and Max evolved into taking over for Harden to host the morning drive show, paired with Amy Sweet, in the day part of the station before the programming took a hard right turn (WHO aired Rush Limbauh's show in the afternoon before his death).
Things were seemingly going great. Ratings were good. Oh, a manager in another part of the company wanted them to exhibit tension on air, create drama, and get angry. Still, they ignored the ‘guidance,’ believing they knew their audience from 5 to 9:00 a.m. and did not want or expect ‘angertainment’ and divisiveness in the morning.
Then, in March of this year, they were called in and fired.
Maxwell and Amy released a podcast in June, which told listeners about their ousting.
Here are the program notes and a link to the show.
Maxwell's Iowa CoffeeCast, hosted by Maxwell Schaeffer, debuts with a candid conversation with his former radio morning partner, Amy Sweet. The duo previously hosted the popular Max and Amy morning show on WHO radio, only to be abruptly let go in early March of 2024. They were informed of their termination during a routine meeting, which turned out to be a scripted HR dismissal. Despite exceeding the rating goals given to them months prior, positive listener feedback and support, and continuing successful advertiser relationships, they were provided no specific reason for the termination of their employment. In their conversation, they express their theories for why this happened. Maxwell and Amy recall the absurdity of their termination day and the perceived lack of foresight regarding how their dismissal would impact their co-workers, given their multiple roles and contributions. They expressed frustration with the new program director's vision, which clashed with their decades-long genuine, community-oriented broadcasting approach in the Des Moines market. The program director's insistence on fabricated opinions and provocative debate did not align with their longtime values or, as they perceive, the station's morning show heritage:
This podcast started as a perk for paid subscribers, but we were having so much fun I wanted it to be available to all. This column and our Monday Zoom events have become a labor of love, and your financial support has allowed more than 75 emerging writers the ability to attend the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. For them, your support has been transformational.
I will be announcing the fate of the retreat soon. There are still several pieces that need to fall into place to make it happen. Stay tuned.
Please join Maxwell Shaeffer and me today at noon central time. We have a lot to learn about what he’s doing now.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86844177542
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I just caught the very end. Good question about female leads,