St. Louis Radio: 104.1 KMOX Tweaks Line-Up

The start of a new era at KMOX began Monday, when the iconic St. Louis station expanded its reach by simulcasting its programming on 104.1 FM, alongside its longstanding 1120 AM signal. 

The move marked a significant milestone as KMOX, known as "NewsRadio 1120 - The Voice of St. Louis," approached its 100th anniversary later that year. The addition of a full-market FM signal at 104.1 WHHL, previously home to the hip-hop and R&B format "Hot 104.1," aimed to deliver KMOX’s trusted news, talk, and sports content—including St. Louis Cardinals baseball—with a crisper, more robust sound to a broader audience across the greater St. Louis region. The transition occurred at midnight, with listeners noting a brief silence on 104.1 FM before the KMOX top-of-the-hour tone and CBS hourly news update kicked in, seamlessly integrating the new frequency.

This shift wasn’t just about expanding reach; it prompted a shuffle in KMOX’s daily lineup to capitalize on the enhanced FM presence and reinforce its sports programming, especially with the Cardinals’ season opener looming on March 27. 

Two new Cardinals-focused shows debuted on March 24: Gashouse Gang at noon, hosted by Tom Ackerman, Bob Ramsey, and Joe Pott, and Redbird Rush Hour at 5:00 p.m., featuring Kevin Wheeler and Brooke Grimsley. 

These additions joined the existing lineup, which already included Total Information AM (5:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.) with anchors Debbie Monterrey, Tom Ackerman, Megan Lynch, and Carol Daniel, followed by The Show (10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.) with Amy Marxkors, Chris Rongey, and Kevin Wheeler. Mark Reardon’s program continued from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., while Sports Open Line, now seeking a new host after Wheeler’s midday move, aired from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The day wrapped with The Mark Cox Show from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and overnight programming like Overnight America and America in the Morning.

The lineup shuffle reflected KMOX’s strategic pivot to blend its legacy of news and talk with a sharper focus on sports, avoiding polarizing politics as noted by Steve Moore, Audacy St. Louis’s VP of News/Talk/Sports. 

The FM move displaced "Hot 104.1," which shifted to the lower-power 98.7 FM translator (K254CR) as "Hot 98.7," a change that followed Audacy’s layoffs of WHHL’s local staff amid cost-cutting efforts. For KMOX, broadcasting on 104.1 FM—a 50,000-watt signal—complemented its 1120 AM clear-channel status, ensuring Cardinals games and other content sounded “phenomenal” on FM while maintaining AM’s vast nighttime reach across the Central U.S. This dual-signal approach, effective March 24, 2025, ushered KMOX into a modern chapter, balancing tradition with a bolder, clearer presence in St. Louis’s media landscape.