List of radio stations in Missouri

The list of radio stations in Missouri encompasses all full-service AM, FM, and low-power FM broadcast stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve communities within the state, numbering approximately 422 as of 2025.^[1] These stations provide a wide array of programming formats, including news, talk radio, country, rock, and public service content, regulated under FCC rules to prevent interference and ensure spectrum allocation across Missouri's urban markets like St. Louis (Nielsen rank 21) and Kansas City (rank 20) as well as smaller and rural locales.^[2] Broadcasting in Missouri traces its origins to 1921, when experimental station 9YK at Saint Louis University initiated transmissions, later becoming WEW, among the earliest U.S. stations still operational.^[3] The Missouri Broadcasters Association, representing over 350 radio and television outlets, highlights the sector's emphasis on local coverage, emergency alerts, and cultural programming, such as KSHE 94.7 FM's designation as the state's official rock station in 2025.^[4][5] While commercial entities dominate, non-commercial public stations—numbering about 11 receiving federal support—contribute to educational and informational outreach amid ongoing debates over funding sustainability.^[6]

Historical Development

Origins and Early Milestones

The origins of radio broadcasting in Missouri trace back to experimental wireless demonstrations, including Nikola Tesla's public display of radio transmission principles at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition-related events in St. Louis, though structured broadcasting emerged later amid national technological advancements.^[7] Formal broadcasts began with amateur efforts; on November 2, 1920, William E. Woods conducted Missouri's first documented radio transmission from St. Louis, relaying live election results to receivers tuned in locally.^[8] Prior to licensed stations, groups like the St. Louis Radio Association organized informal transmissions from private homes, such as a February 1922 event from Dr. Charles Klenk's residence using a homemade transmitter.^[9] A pivotal milestone occurred with WEW, operated by St. Louis University, which initiated regular audio broadcasts on April 26, 1921, focusing initially on weather forecasts, river traffic updates, and educational content like lectures and music, building on experimental telephony from 1912.^[10] On March 22, 1922, WEW received the first commercial broadcast license west of the Mississippi River from the U.S. Department of Commerce, marking Missouri's entry into regulated broadcasting and positioning it as the second-oldest continuously operating station in the United States after KDKA in Pittsburgh.^[11] This licensing wave extended statewide: WHB in Kansas City commenced operations in April 1922 as a high-power station (initially 500 watts, later upgraded), while WOS in Jefferson City and WHAH in Springfield followed later that year, the latter serving southwest Missouri until 1924.^[12][13][14] By 1925, Missouri hosted several dozen stations amid national proliferation, with KMOX launching on Christmas Eve in Kirkwood (near St. Louis) as a 500-watt clear-channel outlet branded "The Voice of St. Louis," emphasizing news, entertainment, and remote broadcasts that drew regional audiences.^[15] These early stations, often affiliated with universities, department stores, or newspapers, relied on vacuum-tube technology and crystal detectors, transitioning from hobbyist setups to commercial ventures amid federal oversight to manage spectrum interference.^[16] Ownership diversity characterized this era, though power limitations and regulatory scrutiny—such as the 1927 Radio Act addressing overcrowding—shaped sustainability, with many early outlets relocating frequencies or consolidating by decade's end.^[17]

Expansion and Technological Shifts

Following the establishment of pioneering AM stations in the early 1920s, radio expansion in Missouri accelerated during the 1930s and 1940s amid economic recovery and rising demand for local programming and advertising. Commercial outlets proliferated in urban centers, with St. Louis mirroring national trends by launching multiple licensed broadcasters starting in 1922, while markets like Kansas City and Springfield added stations to serve agricultural and industrial audiences.^[18] By the mid-20th century, this growth supported diverse formats, including news, music, and farm reports tailored to Missouri's demographics.^[19] Technological advancements drove further proliferation through FM adoption, which offered superior sound quality and reduced interference compared to AM. Early FM experiments emerged post-World War II, with KFUO in St. Louis launching its FM companion in 1948 to complement its longstanding AM service.^[20] Stations such as KTTS in Springfield integrated FM operations by 1951, enabling simulcasting and expanded coverage as FCC allocations encouraged the band’s development.^[19] This shift addressed AM limitations like static-prone signals, fostering listener migration and station duopolies in competitive markets. The late 20th and early 21st centuries brought digital transitions, prompted by federal mandates for improved transmission. In 1999, Missouri enacted HB139 to exempt initial digital broadcasting equipment from state and local sales taxes, easing upgrades for analog-to-digital conversions.^[19] Subsequent laws, including SB1394 in 2004 for TV-radio dual signals and SB210 in 2005 for equipment depreciation, incentivized infrastructure investments amid competition from streaming. Public radio saw parallel growth, with the University of Missouri system launching campus stations in the 1970s following National Public Radio's 1970 formation, enhancing non-commercial reach.^[21] Contemporary shifts reflect AM's vulnerabilities to modern electronics, with legacy stations adopting FM simulcasts for viability. KMOX in St. Louis, a dominant AM news outlet, relocated its signal to 104.1 FM on March 24, 2025, leveraging software-defined radios in vehicles to broaden accessibility and counter digital audio rivals.^[22] These adaptations underscore ongoing efforts to sustain broadcast relevance against utility costs and platform fragmentation.^[23]

Regulatory and Economic Context

FCC Licensing and State-Specific Regulations

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) holds exclusive authority over the licensing of radio broadcast stations in the United States, including those in Missouri, under Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 73.^[24] Applicants for new full-power commercial AM or FM stations must submit FCC Form 301, accompanied by application fees, engineering exhibits demonstrating compliance with technical standards such as frequency allocation and interference prevention, and proof of local public notice of the filing.^[25] Construction permits require FCC approval prior to building transmission facilities, followed by a license to cover upon verification of operational compliance; non-commercial educational stations use Form 340 instead.^[25] Licenses are granted for terms of eight years for full-power stations and renewed through FCC Form 303-S, with Missouri radio licenses typically expiring on a staggered schedule aligned with federal cycles, such as between October 1 and August 1 in designated windows.^[24] FCC rules mandate adherence to ownership limits, such as the prohibition on common ownership of more than two FM stations or two AM stations (or one of each) in markets with 14 or fewer radio stations, though recent court decisions have vacated certain related television ownership restrictions that indirectly influence radio-TV duopoly considerations in Missouri markets.^[26] Stations must also comply with the Emergency Alert System (EAS) for national and state-level alerts, integrating with Missouri's state EAS plan administered through the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency.^[27] Violations, including unauthorized operation or failure to maintain licensed parameters, can result in fines, license revocation, or short-term renewals, as enforced through FCC field inspections and public complaints.^[28] Missouri imposes no independent state licensing regime for radio broadcasters, deferring to federal jurisdiction, but supplements FCC requirements with statutes addressing operational liabilities and incentives. Under the First Informer Broadcasters Act (RSMo § 190.260), radio stations first reporting verified emergencies such as natural disasters or public safety threats receive civil immunity from defamation claims related to those broadcasts, provided they act in good faith without actual malice.^[29] Broadcasters benefit from state sales and use tax exemptions on purchases of utilities, machinery, and equipment used directly in broadcasting operations, as outlined in Missouri Department of Revenue regulations.^[30] Local governments in Missouri may enforce zoning and permitting for antenna towers under ordinances like RSMo § 67.329, which allow considerations for historic preservation but require compliance with FCC environmental and RF exposure rules during construction.^[31] Additionally, RSMo § 537.105 shields stations from liability for defamation in rebroadcasts of official government statements or court proceedings, aligning with First Amendment protections while encouraging public service programming.^[32]

Ownership Concentration and Market Dynamics

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 significantly relaxed federal restrictions on radio station ownership, enabling widespread consolidation across the United States, including Missouri, where a handful of large corporations now control the majority of commercial stations in major markets. By 2025, iHeartMedia, the nation's largest radio owner with over 850 stations nationwide, operates clusters in Missouri's key markets such as St. Louis (including 93.7 The Bull, Z107.7, and 103.3 KLOU), Kansas City, and Springfield, totaling at least 20 stations in the state focused on formats like country, top 40, and talk.^[33] Cumulus Media, another major national player, holds clusters in central Missouri markets like Columbia and Jefferson City (e.g., KBXR 102.3 and KFRU 1400), though it recently silenced two stations in Jefferson City in March 2025 amid financial pressures, illustrating how concentration can lead to operational cutbacks in smaller markets.^[34] Audacy owns prominent outlets like KMOX 1120 AM in St. Louis, a high-power news/talk station, contributing to oligopolistic control in urban areas where 4-6 entities often dominate 20+ stations per market.^[35] Federal Communications Commission (FCC) local ownership rules, which cap entities at 6-8 stations in large markets (14+ total stations) and fewer in smaller ones, have moderated but not prevented this concentration in Missouri, where St. Louis (market rank 21) and Kansas City (rank 24) see iHeartMedia and competitors holding 30-40% of commercial outlets combined.^[36] Local groups like Zimmer Radio maintain clusters in mid-Missouri (e.g., Springfield and Sedalia areas), preserving some independent ownership in rural zones, but national firms' scale advantages in advertising procurement and syndication have eroded smaller operators' viability, as evidenced by Cumulus's 2008 acquisition of seven Columbia-area stations from Premier Marketing Group.^[37] Empirical data from FCC filings indicate that in Missouri's top markets, revenue concentration mirrors national trends, with the top five owners capturing over 50% of ad dollars, driven by economies of scale that favor syndicated programming over local content.^[38] Market dynamics reflect causal pressures from digital competition and economic cycles, prompting consolidated owners to prioritize cost efficiency: iHeartMedia's clusters emphasize national syndication (e.g., Bobby Bones Show on 93.7 The Bull), reducing local journalism amid declining ad revenues from streaming alternatives, while FCC quadrennial reviews as of September 2025 debate further rule relaxations to address these shifts.^[39] Bankruptcies, such as iHeart's 2018 restructuring affecting St. Louis stations and Audacy's ongoing challenges, have accelerated divestitures or silences, with Missouri seeing intermittent station transitions that limit format diversity—country and talk dominate 60%+ of airtime in consolidated clusters.^[35] Rural markets exhibit less concentration, relying on family-owned or small-group operators, but overall, causal realism points to deregulation's role in fostering resilience against tech disruption while risking reduced viewpoint pluralism, as fewer owners curate content centrally rather than reflecting local variances.^[40] Ongoing Eighth Circuit litigation, including challenges from Missouri's Zimmer Radio, underscores tensions between ownership caps and market adaptability.^[41]

Active Radio Stations

St. Louis Metropolitan Area

The St. Louis metropolitan area features a robust radio landscape with over 50 active AM and FM stations licensed to Missouri communities such as St. Louis, Clayton, Crestwood, and Shrewsbury, serving a population exceeding 2.8 million across Missouri and adjacent Illinois counties.^[42] These stations encompass commercial outlets in formats like country (e.g., WIL at 92.3 FM), classic rock (e.g., KSHE at 94.7 FM, designated Missouri's official rock station in summer 2025 for its long-running programming), urban contemporary (e.g., WFUN at 96.3 FM), and news/talk (e.g., KMOX at 1120 AM), alongside non-commercial public and religious broadcasters.^[5][43] Public stations like KWMU (90.7 FM) provide NPR-affiliated news and jazz programming, reflecting the market's emphasis on local content amid national trends toward digital simulcasts and HD Radio subchannels.^[44] Ownership is concentrated among groups such as Audacy, iHeartMedia, and Hubbard Radio, with recent ratings showing strong performance for classic rock and country formats as of September 2025.^[45][46]

FM Stations

The following table enumerates select full-power FM stations licensed in the Missouri portion of the St. Louis metro area, ordered by frequency; low-power and translator stations are excluded for brevity.^[47][48]

AM Stations

AM broadcasting in the area emphasizes talk, sports, and ethnic programming, with clear-channel station KMOX (1120 AM) maintaining a dominant 50,000-watt signal since its 1925 inception.^[18] The table below lists key full-power AM stations licensed in Missouri.^[48][49]

Kansas City Metropolitan Area

The Kansas City metropolitan area, primarily in Missouri but extending into Kansas, hosts a diverse array of AM and FM radio stations licensed to Missouri communities including Kansas City, Independence, Liberty, and North Kansas City. These stations cover formats ranging from news/talk and sports to public radio, contemporary, and religious programming, serving an audience of over 2 million in the region as of recent Nielsen estimates.^[50] Ownership is concentrated among entities like Cumulus Media, Audacy, and public institutions, reflecting broader market dynamics under FCC regulations.^[51][52] Active full-power stations licensed in the Missouri portion of the metropolitan area, as aggregated from FCC-derived databases, are listed below. Formats are current as of late 2025 and subject to change.^[53]

AM Stations

FM Stations

Notable translators and low-power stations, such as KLHW-LP (90.5 MHz, religious) and various FM repeaters for AM signals, supplement coverage but are not full-power outlets.^[53] Stations like WDAF-FM (106.5 MHz, country, licensed to Liberty, MO) and KMJK (107.3 MHz, urban adult contemporary, North Kansas City, MO) extend the market's reach into suburban areas.^[54]

Springfield and Southwest Missouri

Springfield serves as the primary radio hub for southwest Missouri, encompassing the Springfield-Branson metropolitan area and reaching listeners across the Ozarks region through a combination of commercial FM, AM, public, and religious broadcasters. The market supports diverse formats, including country, news-talk, adult contemporary, and NPR-affiliated public radio, with many stations transmitting from towers near Fordland, Stafford, and the city center to cover urban and rural audiences. Ownership is concentrated among groups like iHeartMedia, Scripps Media, and Zimmer Communications, alongside nonprofits and universities.^[55][33] Public stations provide educational and jazz programming, while commercial outlets dominate with music and talk formats tailored to local tastes. Low-power FM (LPFM) and translator stations fill niche roles, such as blues or religious content. The following table summarizes key active stations receivable in Springfield, drawn from broadcast directories; formats and operations are subject to periodic changes per FCC filings.^[56][57] Niche and LPFM stations, such as KWPQ 103.3 FM (independent blues) and KDRU 98.1 FM (Drury University), supplement the market with community and educational content. Religious networks like Bott Radio (90.1 FM KSCV) extend coverage from Stafford, while translators like 92.3 MHz K222CT rebroadcast talk formats. Audience data from fall 2024 ratings indicate strong listenership for country (KWTO-FM 101.3 at 4.8 share) and public radio (KSMU at 4.8 share), reflecting regional preferences for local news and music amid national trends toward digital streaming.^[61][62][63]

Columbia-Jefferson City and Central Missouri

The Columbia–Jefferson City radio market, ranked as the 184th largest in the United States by Nielsen Audio, covers central Missouri including the state capital Jefferson City and Columbia, seat of the University of Missouri.^[64] This area features approximately 50 FM and AM stations receivable, with licenses concentrated in Boone, Cole, Cooper, and adjacent counties, offering formats such as news-talk, country, adult contemporary, and public broadcasting.^[65] Ownership is dominated by local groups like Zimmer Communications and national firms including Cumulus Media, alongside public entities like the University of Missouri.^[66] Public stations include KBIA (91.3 FM), an NPR affiliate providing news and talk from Columbia, and its classical sister KMUC (90.5 FM).^[64] College outlets such as KCOU (88.1 FM) in Columbia air alternative programming, while KJLU (88.9 FM) in Jefferson City focuses on jazz and urban formats.^[64] Community radio KOPN (89.5 FM) in Columbia emphasizes independent content.^[67] Commercial AM stations center on news and talk, with KWOS (950 AM) and KLIK (1240 AM) both in Jefferson City delivering local coverage.^[64] KFRU (1400 AM) in Columbia provides similar programming.^[68] The following table lists select active FM stations licensed directly to Columbia or Jefferson City, highlighting major commercial and non-commercial outlets as of 2023 licensing data.^[64]

Other Markets and Rural Stations

In Missouri, radio markets beyond the largest metropolitan areas encompass smaller cities and rural locales, where stations often emphasize local news, agriculture, country music, and religious programming to serve sparse populations and farming communities. These markets, ranked lower in Nielsen Audio surveys (typically outside the top 100), include Joplin (market rank approximately 140), Cape Girardeau (around 210), and Branson, alongside non-metro areas like Kirksville and Rolla.^[69][70] Rural stations, licensed by the FCC to small towns such as Bloomfield or Warsaw, frequently operate with lower power and focus on community events, weather updates for farmers, and syndicated conservative talk to counter urban signal dominance.^[1] The Joplin market, spanning southwest Missouri and parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, features approximately 20-25 full-power stations. Key outlets include KZRG (1310 AM/102.9 FM), which broadcasts news, talk, and sports with local hosts covering regional issues like mining and tornado recovery; KJMK (93.9 FM) delivering classic hits from the 1960s-1990s; and KIXQ (102.5 FM) focusing on contemporary country music.^[71][72][73] Ownership is concentrated among groups like Zimmer Radio, which operates multiple formats to target the area's 50,000+ metro listeners.^[74] Cape Girardeau, serving the southeast Bootheel region near the Mississippi River, includes stations like K103 (102.9 FM), a country format voted a local favorite for its emphasis on regional artists and events; KZIM/KSIM (AM/FM simulcast) providing news-talk with conservative commentary; and KGMO/KAPE (100.7 FM/1550 AM) offering a mix of oldies and community sports.^[75][76] This market overlaps with Poplar Bluff, where KKLR (94.5 FM) airs new country hits and KWOC (930 AM/93.3 FM) delivers talk radio, including agricultural reports critical for the cotton and rice farming economy.^[77][78] Withers Broadcasting and River Radio dominate, with signals reaching rural counties like Butler and Scott.^[79] Rural stations exemplify localized service, such as KBDZ (93.1 FM) in Perryville, which programs adult contemporary and local ads for Perry County’s 18,000 residents, or KPOW-FM (97.7 FM) in La Monte, targeting central Missouri farmers with ag news and country.^[1] In northern rural areas like Kirksville (Adair County), outlets include KTUF (91.1 FM), a public station affiliated with NPR for educational content, while southern Ozark stations like those in Waynesville (Pulaski County) feature KFBD (97.9 FM) with rock formats serving Fort Leonard Wood military families.^[1] These low-wattage or Class A facilities, often translator-boosted, maintain viability through FCC non-commercial licenses or small-market economics, with listenership driven by automotive travel in areas lacking broadband alternatives.^[80]

Defunct and Silent Stations

Notable Historical Stations

WOS (Jefferson City) was among Missouri's pioneer broadcasting outlets, licensed on February 23, 1922, to the Missouri State Marketing Bureau for disseminating agricultural market reports and related programming. Operating from studios in the attic of the Missouri State Capitol, the station aired from 1922 until its closure in 1936, after which its frequency was reassigned. Its governmental affiliation underscored early radio's role in public service dissemination in rural and state-focused contexts.^[13][81][82] KXOK (630 AM, St. Louis) emerged as a trailblazer in the Top 40 format during the early 1950s under the ownership of Todd Storz, emphasizing high-energy rock and roll disc jockey-driven shows that captured the youth market. By the 1960s, it achieved national recognition for programming featuring personalities such as Johnny Rabbitt (Jerry King Lawler) and Bruno J. Gruen, drawing massive teen audiences through contests, jingles, and hits like those from Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The station's dominance eroded with FM competition and format shifts in the 1970s, culminating in its defunct status as the original entity by the 1980s, though echoes persisted in nostalgia revivals.^[83][84][85]

Recent Closures and Transitions

In March 2025, Cumulus Media terminated operations at its two Jefferson City stations, KLIK (1240 AM) and translator W278DH (103.5 FM), citing them as underperforming assets in a nationwide effort to shutter low-revenue outlets amid rising operational costs.^{[34] [86]} The move silenced local news-talk programming previously offered on KLIK, contributing to broader industry trends of AM station reductions due to high utility expenses and declining listenership.^[87] KDHX (88.1 FM), a nonprofit community station in St. Louis, ceased all operations on October 3, 2025, after years of governance disputes, volunteer DJ lawsuits, and financial shortfalls that had already halted over-the-air broadcasts earlier in the year.^{[88] [89]} Owner Double Helix Corporation announced no content production would resume until potentially late 2026 or early 2027, while relinquishing the frequency to Gateway Community Media for potential relaunch under new programming.^[90] This closure marked the end of eclectic, volunteer-driven eclectic music and talk that had defined the station since 1989. In May 2024, Alpha Media shifted its Moberly-area cluster—KWIX-FM (92.5), KWIX-AM (1230), KRES-AM (1040), and KTCM (1380)—from local formats including news-talk, country, and sports to a syndicated all-podcast lineup, eliminating on-site programming staff and ceasing coverage of Randolph County-specific news, weather, and high school athletics.^{[91] [92]} The change, effective progressively through June 2024, reflected Alpha's strategy to cut costs in small markets by adopting national podcast feeds, though the stations remained technically active on air.^{[93] [94]}

Notable Events and Controversies

Political and Content Disputes

In 2022, KCXL (AM 1140), a station based in Liberty near Kansas City, drew national scrutiny for continuing to air programming from Radio Sputnik, a Kremlin-funded outlet, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Critics, including media watchdogs and lawmakers, labeled the content as Russian state propaganda that echoed narratives justifying the war, such as claims of Ukrainian aggression and NATO provocation, broadcast daily for several hours.^[95][96] The station also carried "TruNews," a program flagged by the Anti-Defamation League for promoting antisemitic, homophobic, and Islamophobic views, amplifying concerns over unchecked ideological content on low-power outlets.^[97] Station owner Peter Schay defended the broadcasts as protected under the First Amendment, arguing that U.S. regulations do not prohibit foreign programming on commercial radio and emphasizing listener choice over government intervention.^[98] No FCC enforcement action followed, as the agency lacks authority to censor viewpoint-based content absent obscenity, indecency, or other specific violations, though the incident highlighted tensions between broadcast freedom and national security in rural markets with limited oversight.^[97] Broader content disputes in Missouri radio have occasionally involved political talk formats, particularly in conservative-leaning markets like St. Louis, where the rapid expansion to four FM talk stations by 2021—carrying hosts like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin—prompted debates over market saturation and advertiser pullback from polarizing programming. However, these centered more on commercial viability than regulatory or ideological clashes, with no major fines or license challenges reported.^[99]

Management and Community Conflicts

KDHX (88.1 FM), a community-supported station in St. Louis, experienced prolonged tensions between its board of directors and volunteer disc jockeys, culminating in multiple lawsuits and operational collapse. In July 2019, letters from volunteers alleged a hostile work environment for African American staff, financial mismanagement, discrimination, and sexual harassment under station leadership; the board investigated these claims and deemed them unsubstantiated.^[100][101] By January 2024, dozens of local businesses publicly expressed concerns over the station's direction, citing ongoing disputes between upper management and volunteers that eroded community trust.^[102] These conflicts escalated legally in 2024, with former DJs and volunteers filing suit against the board for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty and suppression of dissent, leading to a settlement in August that allowed some plaintiffs limited board candidacy but failed to resolve underlying governance issues.^[103][104] A subsequent January 2025 lawsuit by 16 critics accused the board of "gross abuses of authority," including illegal actions to undermine staff, volunteers, and donors, prompting community rallies under the "Save KDHX" banner and the station's eventual cessation of operations.^{[105][106][107]} The board's resistance to community dialogue exacerbated bad publicity, contributing to financial distress and a June 2025 court-approved sale to a Christian broadcaster for $8.75 million, marking the end of its independent community format.^[101] In central Missouri, the four Moberly stations owned by Zimmer Communications—KMZU (AM/FM), KXEA, and KTCM—faced community backlash in May 2024 after management abruptly laid off all local on-air talent and shifted to syndicated programming, eliminating coverage of high school sports, weather, and local events.^[91] Residents expressed frustration over the loss of hyper-local content essential to rural audiences, viewing the decision as prioritizing cost savings over community service despite the stations' historical role in emergency alerts and civic engagement.^[91] Public radio outlet KCUR in Kansas City encountered management-community friction in April 2025 when host Steve Kraske filed a First Amendment lawsuit alleging that Mayor Quinton Lucas and his chief of staff pressured station leadership to fire him after his on-air protest of a city policy, offering a quid pro quo of favorable coverage in exchange.^[108] This incident highlighted tensions between editorial independence and political influence, though KCUR management defended its autonomy without confirming internal concessions.^[108] Such disputes underscore broader challenges in Missouri radio, where volunteer-driven or nonprofit models often clash with centralized decision-making amid declining revenues.