St. Louis Radio: How Audacy Stations Add To Hoffman Plans

Hoffmann Media Group, a subsidiary of the family-owned Hoffmann Family of Companies (HF Companies), has entered U.S. broadcast radio by agreeing to acquire Audacy’s entire six-station cluster in St. Louis — including the iconic News/Talk station KMOX — as the first step in a broader multi-platform media expansion strategy.

The deal, Monday, and subject to FCC approval, gives the company a full-market presence with strong local news/talk, music, and sports programming. It aligns with founder and chairman David Hoffmann’s vision of building one of the nation’s largest media organizations by combining print, digital, and broadcast assets for trusted local journalism and community connection.

Key Details of the St. Louis Acquisition

• The portfolio includes:KMOX (1120 AM / 104.1 FM) — the longtime “Trusted Voice of St. Louis” and flagship for St. Louis Cardinals baseball.
• KFTK-FM (97.1) — News/Talk.
• Music outlets: KYKY (Y98, Hot AC), KEZK (102.5, Adult Contemporary), WFUN (96.3 R&B), and WHHL (Hot 98.7, Hip-Hop/R&B).

Becky Domyan

KYKY also carries St. Louis City SC games. Hoffmann is reinstating experienced executive Becky Domyan, former Audacy St. Louis SVP/Market Manager with a strong track record on KMOX’s FM expansion and sports rights, as Market President.

Strategy:

Multi-Platform Scale with Local FocusHoffmann explicitly frames radio — particularly talk formats — as a natural extension of the company’s newspaper and digital holdings rather than a standalone venture. In the official announcement, he 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 and a powerful driver of our long-term growth.”

The company already operates or influences roughly 154 newspapers across 30 states, largely through direct ownership via Hoffmann Media Group and a controlling stake plus management integration with Lee Enterprises (publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and many other titles). Hoffmann aims to become the second-largest U.S. media company by year-end through further acquisitions.

Core principles mirror his approach to reviving local newspapers:

• Prioritizing hyperlocal, original reporting and community engagement.
• Emphasizing sustainable profitability without heavy layoffs.
• Leveraging private/family ownership for long-term investment over quarterly pressures.
• Potential synergies include cross-promotion between the Post-Dispatch and KMOX, shared advertising infrastructure, bundled multi-platform campaigns, and content sharing.

HF Companies is a diversified, multi-vertical family-owned firm with a “Family Equity” philosophy focused on long-term holds, people-first values, and community ties. Media is one growth vertical; Hoffmann Media Group has historically specialized in lifestyle, regional, and luxury publications emphasizing trusted storytelling.

Strengths of the strategy include KMOX’s brand equity, radio’s resilience in local news/sports, and flexibility for digital extensions (streaming, podcasts). Challenges include FCC approval, integrating operations, and competing with streaming audio. Details on further radio expansion remain limited, but continued growth in the sector is signaled.