Double Helix Corporation’s Community 88.1 KDHX St. Louis has ended live programming and eliminated all of its volunteer content production roles.
The move comes just a day after former hosts Stacy Bernard and Christopher Schwarz filed a lawsuit on behalf of themselves and fourteen other former volunteers to remove seven of the eight people on the station’s board of directors. The hosts were among ten dismissed in September 2023 and twelve others were informed the must complete a mediation process to keep their shows.
The station will carry pre-recorded programming as the board explores options for the future of the station.
In a statement today, Board President Gary Pierson said:
This evening, KDHX will pause live broadcasts on 88.1 FM and kdhx.org due to financial challenges.
The station does not have the resources to sustain current operations. As a result, our small staff has made significant financial sacrifices. All volunteer content production roles, including our valued volunteer DJs, have been discontinued. This was a difficult decision for our board as our audience has grown and expanded in recent years, most notably online.
Several factors have contributed to this decision, including long standing financial pressures, industry-wide challenges for public media, and a decline in financial support. Unfortunately, recent disparagement campaigns and senseless lawsuits have severely impacted fundraising.
To continue serving our listeners locally and worldwide, previously recorded programming will air on 88.1 FM and kdhx.org beginning tonight at 7 p.m. CST. Meanwhile, our board is actively exploring options for the future of KDHX to continue fulfilling our mission of building community through media.
We understand that this news is disappointing. We deeply appreciate the support of our volunteers, listeners, and donors over the years. If you value independent, community-driven programming, we encourage you to stay engaged by visiting KDHX.org for updates.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com