In a St. Louis surprise, Audacy has agreed to sell its six stations in the market to Hoffmann Media Group. Audacy CEO Kelli Turner, in a memo to staff, wrote, “While we were not actively looking to sell these stations, HF Companies presented an opportunity for the Company that ultimately made strong business sense for both parties.”
A subsidiary of Hoffmann Family of Companies, Hoffmann Media Group operates more than 40 publications across 30 markets, including Florida Weekly, the Napa Valley Register, and the Aspen Daily News, and holds a controlling stake in Lee Enterprises, whose holdings include the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Audacy cluster, which includes crown jewel 1120 KMOX-AM, as well as Jamz 96.3 (WFUN), 97.1 FM Talk (KFTK), Y98 (KYKY), 102.5 KEZK, and Hot 98.7 (KEZK-HD2), would mark the company’s first broadcast holdings.
The sale price, yet to be disclosed, must be compelling, given the recent work on KMOX. Audacy gave the Talker a full FM simulcast signal in March 2025, then extended its multi-year broadcast partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals that following July, keeping KMOX as the flagship home of Cardinals baseball.
In April of this year, Audacy eliminated the dedicated St. Louis market manager position and folded it into a regional structure, with a Roxanne Marati overseeing St. Louis, Kansas City, and Wichita.
Turner told St. Louis employees that no changes to day-to-day operations, reporting structures, compensation, or benefits are anticipated, adding that the sale “reflects the continued value of our strong local media assets and provides us with more resources to invest in markets and initiatives with the highest potential to drive our growth.”
She added, “HF Companies has expressed a strong commitment to local media and to investing in the iconic brands that have served St. Louis listeners for decades.”
The deal requires FCC approval before closing.
