The Christian music station 99.1 Joy FM has won the auction for the rights to buy the license, broadcast tower, and other assets of community radio station KDHX. The winning bid of $8.75 million from Joy FM surpassed the national Christian music network K-LOVE, whose highest bid was $8.5 million. “Ultimately, we determined the Joy FM offer was in the best interest of the bankruptcy,” said KDHX bankruptcy lawyer Robert E. Eggmann.
Joy FM’s and K-LOVE’s offers included agreements to fund KDHX’s transition to a high-definition radio station and an internet station, where it would continue to play its traditional format of diverse music styles. No other groups participated in the auction, not even a coalition of former DJs and supporters who aimed to keep the station running with different management. 99.1 Joy FM is owned by Gateway Creative Broadcasting and broadcasts from Des Peres, featuring contemporary Christian artists such as Rend Collective, Hillsong Worship, and Blanca.
K-LOVE, based in Franklin, Tennessee, is part of Educational Media Foundation, which owns over 580 radio stations nationwide, playing a single feed of contemporary Christian music often featuring the same artists heard on 99.1 Joy FM. The auction’s outcome is not the final step in selling the station. Bankruptcy judge Kathy A.
Surratt-States will hold a hearing on June 9 to decide whether or not to allow the sale. Interested parties have until Monday to make objections. Eggmann expressed hope that if the sale is approved, it could be closed within about six months.
Joy FM acquires KDHX assets
K-LOVE CEO Tom Stultz congratulated 99.1 Joy FM on its victory and mentioned that his non-profit organization would continue to seek opportunities to enter the St. Louis market.
“We are a faith-based ministry and believe that God wants us to have signals and stations in all the top markets in the country. We have that in all but about six, so St. Louis is very strategic for us,” he said.
KDHX has faced financial difficulties since September 2023, when it fired 10 of its 80 volunteer DJs after dismissing two others the previous month. The turmoil led to 14 more DJs leaving in solidarity, followed by some off-air volunteer staffers. The station saw a swift decline in listenership and donations, with local businesses ceasing their underwriting contributions.
In a push to diversify its broadcasts, KDHX filled most of the open slots with DJs from traditionally underrepresented ethnicities, races, and sexual orientations. At one point, 70% of the DJs belonged to underserved communities. However, this initiative failed to stabilize the station’s finances.
In January, KDHX dismissed almost all of its staff and stopped broadcasting live content before filing for bankruptcy in March.
