The RAF (Radio Arts Foundation) is buying the St. Louis translator it has been airing on for $110,000 from Missouri River Christian Broadcasting, according to an FCC filing. Classical K297BI-LP on 107.3 replaced the old KFUO, which the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod sold for a Christian format after 60 years in the market. The new station, which launched on 4/8 with 250 watts, can also be heard on KIHT-HD2 at 96.3 FM.
KFUO (99.1 FM) was sold in July 2010 in a controversial deal that shut out classical music fans. Since then, the foundation, whose bid to buy the station turned down, has quietly worked to get St. Louis a new classical outlet. The station’s musical database integrates music libraries including 7,000 works, from WRR-FM, the City of Dallas’ classical station. Another, with 12,000, is a copy of the old KFUO library, shared by the Lutherans, which still streams Classic99 at KFUO.org.
