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  Michael Henderson

  President and Station Manager

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  Kellen ‘Rocco’ Parisi

  Technical Assistant

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  Greer McCarthy

  Program Director

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  Keenan ‘Cheeky’ Barnes

  Production Assistant

If you came of age within the inner city of most metropolitan areas during the 1970s, 80s or 90s, the impact of FM radio was likely both profound and enduring. The ascendancy of ‘frequency modulation’ (a.k.a. FM) began in the early 1970s, as the Top-40 music format of AM stations eventually yielded to the high-fidelity sound and expanded playlists introduced with FM radio. And by the early 1980s, FM stations reigned supreme, positioning many urban broadcasts at the center of community life.

Furthermore, most urban stations engendered a certain swagger unlike any other demographic in radio broadcasting. They seemed to wield an extraordinary influence that would not only inform and unite, but would also enthrall the entire listening audience. Station managers and program directors were committed to presenting music and information that was unapologetically dedicated to the community they served. And over time, as the exposure to urban music broadened, an appreciation for this intensely melodic genre gradually crossed over into other communities as well.

The founder of KIUR-DB, Michael Henderson, first entered the realm of radio broadcasting in the late 1970s when he introduced a nightly ballad-centric production branded ‘The Romantic Experience‘ on radio station WLIU-FM at Pennsylvania’s celebrated HBCU, Lincoln University. Instantaneously, the program ascended to #1 and Michael routinely polled as the station’s most popular on-air personality. As a result, he was designated ‘master of ceremonies’ for the subsequent homecoming concert that featured legendary R&B bands, Brainstorm, Enchantment and Sweet Thunder.

Entering his sophomore year, Michael was tapped for double-duty; being appointed the station’s program director while continuing to host his nightly broadcast. It was during this period that he began to develop an acumen for personnel management, as well as the various aspects of radio station administration. By the end of year-two, Michael was considered a top candidate to replace the departing general manager. Regrettably, a steep increase in university room and board charges for the upcoming semester prompted his return home to attend the Community College of Philadelphia. Shortly after enrolling at CCP, Michael joined the Vanguard newspaper staff as a sports columnist. Within the first few publication cycles, his aptitude was both recognized and rewarded as Michael was swiftly elevated to the position of sports editor on the periodical’s masthead.

And so, after a decades-long detour away from mass media – which included a progressive career in hospitality management; and as a small business owner/operator in sports retail – Michael’s profound passion for classic urban melodies has circled back to where it all began…with the introduction of his consequential broadcast creation: KIUR-DB 🙂