St. Louis Radio: KDHX-EMF Deal Off, Auction Set Instead

A federal bankruptcy judge has greenlit a public auction of the broadcast license for St. Louis community radio station KDHX, intensifying the legal and financial struggle over the station’s future, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

The auction, set for May 30, 2025, via Zoom, follows KDHX’s March 2025 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and ongoing tensions between its leadership and volunteer base.

KDHX’s licensee, Double Helix Corporation, filed for bankruptcy with approximately $2 million in debt.

Initially, Educational Media Foundation (EMF), a Christian broadcaster, offered $4.35 million to acquire the station for its K-LOVE network, with tiered pricing of $4.85 million if closed within six months or $4.6 million within a year, alongside funding to sustain operations during bankruptcy. In April, Gateway Creative Broadcasting Inc., a St. Louis-based Christian radio group, countered with a $5.5 million bid, leading US Bankruptcy Judge Kathy A. Surratt-States to pause the sale temporarily.

KDHX 88.1 FM (42 Kw)

The auction plan faces fierce resistance from KDHX supporters, including the advocacy group LOVE of KDHX, comprising musicians, business leaders, and former volunteers. The group vowed to raise funds to preserve KDHX’s community-driven, nonprofit model but, as of Tuesday, had not submitted a formal proposal, according to Double Helix attorney Robert Eggmann.

Complicating matters, the court’s bidding procedures require any buyer other than EMF to pay up to $300,000 to cover EMF’s expenses as the “stalking horse” bidder, plus a $152,000 break-up fee. Both Gateway Creative Broadcasting and LOVE of KDHX objected to these additional costs.

LOVE of KDHX clarified that the judge’s ruling approved only the auction procedures, not a sale, and reiterated their commitment to presenting a fully funded plan to clear KDHX’s debt while maintaining its volunteer-run identity. On June 9, 2025, the court will consider arguments on an expedited sale of KDHX.