Des Moines radio host Maxwell Schaeffer returns to Iowa airwaves in January

A familiar voice of the Des Moines airwaves returns for morning commuters early next year.

Local news talk station WHO Radio welcomes longtime radio personality Maxwell Schaeffer to its weekend lineup with “Maxwell & Friends,” a program scheduled to run Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The program launches Jan. 5, 2019 and can be heard by tuning into 1040 AM.  

For 23 years, Schaeffer co-hosted a popular morning program on 93.3 KIOA FM, a Des Moines Radio Group classic hits station. The station parted ways with Schaeffer earlier this year.

He joined WHO parent company iHeartMedia in August as director of promotions and marketing, filling occasional WHO on-air slots before launching the new program. 

"I kind of want the show to feel like we're having a brunch party. Maybe without the mimosas — or at least visually,” Sheaffer told the Register. “It is the radio, after all.”

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Other changes, effective Jan. 5, 2019, to WHO weekend programming:

• Moving "Outdoors Dan," a local hunting show hosted by Dan Young, from 7-9 a.m. Saturdays to 7-9 p.m. Sundays.
• Eliminating "Saturday Morning Live," which aired Saturdays 9-11 a.m. Morning live co-host Justin Brady moves to Saturday afternoons; his on-air partner, Adrianne Branstad, remains with the station as a fill-in. 
• A syndicated financial show, hosted by Ric Edelman, plans to air Saturdays 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

“It really just seemed like the wise move for us was to let (Schaeffer) get settled then find where’s the right place to get him in an on-air role,” said Michael Dorwart, WHO program director. “Saturday morning seemed like a really good fit. We’re really not looking for a hardcore talk show.”

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It’s not yet solidified what recurring segments Schaeffer plans to launch, he said. Ideas include scheduling remote broadcasts, building an “ultimate Saturday experience” each week and hosting a morning gripe session.

The program plans to put a pause on heated political banter, he explained.

“I want to bring Iowans in and have conversations and find out what they’re up to — the amazing stories they might have to tell,” Schaeffer said.

He continued: “Three hours, believe it or not, seems like a lot of time to fill and it can be, but I have a feeling I can pack the show with lots of different stuff.”

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