That has been a cursed frequency for a long time. It seems as if all of the previous operators in the last 15 years or so have tried to make it a Des Moines station. Here's the problem, it's located too far from Des Moines to provide a strong signal that will penetrate buildings day and night. Prior to that, they simulcasted KELR in Chariton. I don't think their attempts at local programming were all that successful ("Fun Country 1490" and "15Q" come to mind).
I think it's going to be a tough go for 1490. Indianola has good reception of the Des Moines stations and much of the workforce commutes there during the day, which makes a locally focused format harder. Several new rimshot FM signals will be added to the market in the next few years (96.3, 98.7, 105.5, and 105.9) which will limit their Des Moines options further.
