Community radio station KDHX hasn’t paid its staff since late April, according to a source close to the situation, and it’s not clear when the station will be able to do so again.
Asked for comment about the employees’ payroll status and the station’s plans to deal with it, KDHX did not directly address the issue. Instead, the station provided a statement attributable to executive director Kelly Wells: “Like many cultural institutions, we work hard every day to ensure KDHX is here for the future. While we are facing challenges, we have 40 new DJs that are reflective of our community, and a team deeply committed to identifying new opportunities. We invite supporters who believe that the future of St. Louis is in supporting the voices who reflect the diversity of our region.”
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The station has seven people on its staff list; none of them responded to emails seeking comment. And neither the station’s media consultant nor Gary Pierson, the attorney who serves as the president of its board of directors, would answer any follow-up questions after the statement.
The station’s most recent tax returns showed a 38 percent drop in revenue from 2018 to 2023 and less than $3,000 cash in hand at year’s end.
At the same time, the station has faced a series of controversies including the firing of well-known volunteer DJ Tom “Papa” Ray in February 2023. At least nine more DJs were later dismissed, triggering widespread coverage by local media and protests in front of KDHX’s home in Grand Center. The indie radio station had long been a hub for local musicians and people looking for an alternative to corporate-owned radio, and many staunch supporters took the changes personally. Business leaders called for Wells to resign, as did local musicians. The station resisted those calls and emphasized that it is recruiting a more diverse group of DJs.
