Audacy Media announced Monday it has agreed to sell its entire St. Louis cluster of radio stations to Hoffmann Media Group, a move that transfers ownership of the market’s iconic outlets — including the legendary KMOX — to a local media powerhouse already controlling the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The deal, subject to FCC approval with terms undisclosed, includes:
- News/Talk KMOX (1120 AM/104.1 FM), known as “The Voice of St. Louis” since 1925
- Hot AC Y98 (KYKY)
- Adult Contemporary 102.5 KEZK
- Adult R&B 96.3 WFUN-FM
- Conservative Talk 97.1 KFTK-FM
- Hip Hop Hot 98.7
These stations have long formed the backbone of local broadcasting, airing Cardinals games, election coverage, pop hits, and community news.
Hoffmann Media Group, part of the HF Companies led by Missouri native David Hoffmann, called the purchase a deliberate expansion of its multi-platform strategy. Hoffmann, whose family recently acquired the Pittsburgh Penguins and whose net worth exceeds $2.6 billion, already owns the St. Louis Post-Dispatch through its Lee Enterprises acquisition earlier this year.
“This is a deliberate step to accelerate the expansion of our media platform,” Hoffmann stated. “We are building a scaled, multi-platform network that combines print, digital, and broadcast to deliver trusted journalism and meaningful community connection. Talk radio is a natural extension of that vision.”
The transaction raises questions about the future direction of local media in St. Louis. Observers wonder whether deeper integration between the newspaper and radio stations will strengthen coverage of regional issues or shift editorial voices and programming priorities. KMOX, which helped pioneer full-time talk radio, now enters a new era under ownership already embedded in the city’s media landscape.