Senator calls for inquiry into KFUO sale

In the latest development in the pending sale of radio station KFUO (99.1 FM), Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Missouri) today called for a congressional inquiry into the matter. The Post-Dispatch's Sarah Bryan Miller has details in a Culture Club blog post here.

Miller also reported last week that prospective buyer Gateway Christian Broadcasting claim to have met their fundraising goal of $2 million needed to close the sale. "If the FCC approves the sale, it will mean the probable end of classical music broadcasting in the St. Louis area. It’s interesting to note that the projected date has been moved from early March to “late spring,” Miller concluded.

The sale has been controversial from the start because KFUO currently is the only radio station in St. Louis that plays classical music, and the prospective owners wish to change to format to contemporary Christian music. There also have been questions about the structure of the deal, the financial wherewithal of the buyers, and whether or not all necessary information was disclosed according to FCC rules.

StLJN has been following the story because KFUO also is home to Don Wolff's long-running program "I Love Jazz," which airs on Friday nights. For links to past coverage, click on the "KFUO" tag at the bottom of this post.