Open letter to the St. Louis community and media

The stewards of KDHX are sinking the ship and planning to sell the wreckage

The KDHX Board of Directors has abandoned its fiduciary duty and is leading the station to calamity

For immediate release

January 16, 2025. St. Louis, MO.

Accountability (noun): the fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens. (Cambridge English Dictionary)

The Board of Directors of KDHX remains stubbornly confident that it is succeeding in its mission “to build community through media.” The facts belie this confidence.

Since introducing a new strategic vision last year alongside an exodus of a quarter of the volunteer staff who sought to organize, change KDHX leadership from within, and have its grievances addressed, the members of the Board have not met their responsibilities. These are the seven directors who have failed the community:

Gary Pierson - President Paul Dever - Vice President Joan Bray - Secretary Ray Finney - Treasurer Jeffrey Fernhoff Franc Flotron Caryn Haddix

Only one director has raised objections: Courtney Dowdall. But she has been suspended by this board and rendered powerless.

For over a month, rumors have circulated that these seven individuals, in all their wisdom, have developed a plan to “save” the once iconic nonprofit organization by selling its most valuable assets: the FM license and FM transmitter. This brilliant plan extends the “addition through subtraction” philosophy long espoused by Executive Director Kelly Wells.

All the triumphant calls of alleged growth in diversity and new listenership cannot mask the failures of Wells and this Board when measured like any other legitimate business or nonprofit entity.

Consider the following metrics:

Finances. Based on its latest audited financial statement, KDHX is facing insolvency. The buck stops with Wells and the Board. They have failed to generate adequate revenues to meet expenses. Station debts have become too embarrassing to disclose to members. Customer Satisfaction. The station has faced nearly two years of bad publicity and community protest as management has withdrawn from community dialogue in social media and canceled all public meetings. Member Satisfaction. KDHX has seen the turnover or suspension of 30% of volunteers and 50% of board members over the past 15 months. As reported by the media, it has repeatedly failed to pay staff wages. Market Share. The loss of listenership has been so dismal that KDHX has withdrawn from reporting services in order to hide it. Mission Accomplishment. KDHX has lost the support of the greater St. Louis community. Under this board’s stewardship, it appears to be abandoning the FM media platform completely.

What possible metric not spun from hiding hard truths and vilifying skeptics can the Board point to?

What this Board has succeeded in doing is governing without any concern for accountability. KDHX now operates without respect for the community and its own stakeholders, without transparency in its finances and performance, and without the good stewardship required to keep KDHX on the air.

Executive Director Kelly Wells asked at a recent meeting of the Community Advisory Board (a volunteer group that is supposed to advise KDHX on its programming) how to forwardly describe the station’s success without using the words “radio” or “station.” Clearly, Wells is already moving on. Meanwhile, the Board trumpets the success and suitability of its management even as KDHX circles the drain.

This much is clear: The Double Helix Board plans to sell the FM license and transmitter this year and turn KDHX into an internet “radio” station. These stewards will have completed their betrayal of the organization’s founding vision and of those who have supported KDHX with their dreams, sweat, and dollars.

Who will hold the Board responsible for the collapse of the 38-year-old staple of this city and this region?

It is now up to the current associate members to oppose this insanity. The members’ annual meeting is slated for February. According to KDHX bylaws, those members must approve any sale of FM assets. They must stand up to the Board and to the Executive Director and vote NO on any such sale.