KDHX
 | |
| Broadcast area | Greater St. Louis |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.1MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | KDHX |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Adult album alternative(AAA) (Community)[1] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Double Helix Corporation |
| History | |
First air date | October 14,1987[2] |
Call signmeaning | KDoubleHelixCorporation |
| Technical information[3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 17380 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 42,000watts |
| HAAT | 225 meters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kdhx.org |
KDHX(88.1FM) is anindependent,non-commercial,listener-supportedcommunityradio stationinSt. Louis, Missouri,United Statesoffering a full spectrum of music along with cultural andpublic affairsprogramming since 1987. KDHX broadcasts 24 hours a day online and with 42 kW ofeffective radiated powerinstereowithRBDSdata.
Station background
[edit]KDHX is licensed to theDouble Helix Corporation,a 501(c)3non-profitarts and educational organization with a mission to create community through media. The Double Helix Corporation was formed after the demise ofKDNA,acounterculturalcommunity-radio station that operated in St. Louis'sGaslight Squaredistrict in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The corporation is independent of any governmental entity and is not affiliated with any religious or educational organization. The KDHX offices and studios are located at 3524 Washington Avenue inGrand Center;[4]its tower is located in the northern part ofJefferson County.
Double Helix Corporation, operating under the name KDHX Community Media, is the licensee for 88.1 KDHX, which presents a primarily roots-based AAA (Adult Album Alternative) format interspersed with long-formpublic affairsprogramming one evening a week and short-form features throughout the broadcast schedule. The on-air DJs are all volunteers chosen by an elected program committee and trained by station staff.
In addition to its on-air activities, KDHX Community Media also previously produced a variety of music-oriented events such as Midwest Mayhem and Art Attack as well as collaborations with other community organizations. These collaborations included Harvest Sessions at theTower GroveFarmers Market; Thursdays at the Intersection inGrand Center;the Sheldon Sessions with theSheldon Concert Halland SoundWaves with thePulitzer Arts Foundation.Most of these events halted around 2015, largely due to the resignation of station director Beverly Hacker.
At the time of KDHX's founding, the frequency 88.1 MHz in thegreater St. Louisarea was occupied by 10-watt,Class Dstation KHRU-FM, operated byClayton High SchoolinClayton, Missourionly from 5-8 p.m. Mon.-Fri. during the school year. It was the only station in St. Louis operating on that frequency. Double Helix tried to work out a cooperative arrangement with the Clayton School District to share the frequency, but the school district was unwilling to accept any frequency-sharing proposal. Eventually Double Helix sued in federal court, resulting in a decision that stations had to "use it or lose it" with regard to frequencies. After that decision, theFederal Communications Commission(FCC) revoked KHRU’s license and awarded the frequency toDouble Helix Corporation.
In 2023, over a dozen volunteer DJs were controversially dismissed by executive director Kelly Wells, citing various and often evolving reasons. This decision resulted in protests by other volunteers, associate members, and listeners, with many longtime donors withdrawing their financial support to the station.[1]
In February 2024, over 450 local and national musicians signed a letter demanding the resignation of station leadership, saying"We, the musicians of St. Louis (and beyond), say enough is enough..."[5][6]At that time, KDHX had lost nearly a third of their donors.[7]The 990 tax filing for the 2023 tax year stated that the donations was $808,378, which is down from the $1,314,351 brought in before the allegations against Wells began.[8]
Double Helix Corporation
[edit]Double Helix Corporationis anon-profitcommunity mediaorganization governed by a 15-memberBoard of Directorsof which 9 spots are currently open after recent board resignations from the ongoing dispute with volunteers relieved of their duties. The inactive Community Advisory Board has no scheduled meetings and the last public board meeting specifically avoid all public comments as demonstrated by the publicly available recording of the last board meeting.
The corporation is independent of anygovernmentalentity, and is not affiliated with anyreligiousoreducational organization.Double Helix Corporation is thelicenseeof 88.1 KDHX, thecommunity radio stationin St. Louis, Missouri.
Prior to December 31, 2011, when statewidevideofranchiselegislationsunsettedthe city'scable franchiseordinance, Double Helix Corporation managed thepublicand community accesstelevision stationsfor theCity of St. Louis.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"St. Louis".
- ^"Stories from the Tower featuring KDHX DJs Steve Pick, Art Dwyer, Pablo Meshugi, Ron Edwards".kdhx.org.KDHX. 2017.RetrievedFebruary 15,2019.
- ^"Facility Technical Data for KDHX".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"Home - KDHX".
- ^Hill, Daniel."100s of St. Louis Musicians Sign Letter Critical of KDHX Leadership".Riverfront Times.Retrieved2024-02-29.
- ^"Hundreds of St. Louis-area musicians call for KDHX leaders to resign".STLPR.2024-02-28.Retrieved2024-02-29.
- ^Hill, Daniel."KDHX Has Lost Nearly One-Third of Its Donors, But All Is A-OK".Riverfront Times.Retrieved2024-04-29.
- ^Hill, Daniel."KDHX Gave Kelly Wells a Raise Even as Revenue Plummeted".Riverfront Times.Retrieved2024-04-29.
External links
[edit]- Official KDHX website.
- KDHX Collection Finding Aidat theSt. Louis Public Library
- Facility details for Facility ID 17380 (KDHX)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- KDHXinNielsen Audio's FM station database
- KDHX- Myspace.com page.
- STLradio.com,Contains many articles on the history of St. Louis radio broadcasting including one on the history of KDNA under "Call Letter History". Originally fromSt. Louis Journalism Review.
- KDNA and KDHXarchival materialsandaddendumat the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection.
- KDNA and KDHXarchival materialsat the Saint Louis Public Library.