Missouri stations St. Louis Public Radio, KCUR in Kansas City and Classical KC will become governed by independent nonprofits, their university license-holder announced Monday.
The University of Missouri System Board of Curators holds the licenses for the stations.
“The Curators are supportive of the recommendations from our chancellors at UMKC [University of Missouri–Kansas City] and UMSL [University of Missouri–St. Louis],” said Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves in UMSL and UMKC news releases. “Together, we are confident that this transition will position stations in both communities for success in the years ahead.”
St. Louis Public Radio will be overseen by the Friends of KWMU Inc., which has supported the station since 1977. A group of “community leaders” has contacted UMKC about their interest in forming a nonprofit to manage KCUR and Classical KC, according to UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal in the release.
The board of curators also holds the license for KBIA in Columbia, but the station “will continue as currently structured,” according to the UMKC release. “Its mission is directly tied to education as the training ground for students in the MU School of Journalism.”
The process of the stations transitioning to independent governance could take up to three years, according to the UMKC and UMSL releases. The chancellors of the universities said their institutions will “work closely” with the stations during the transition.
“The move to independence allows STLPR to chart its own course while staying true to its mission of providing high-quality journalism and community service,” UMSL Chancellor Kristin Sobolik said in the release. “We believe this transition will empower the station to remain a vital resource of unbiased news for our region and beyond”
“The radio stations have been a valued part of our campus and Kansas City community for many years, informing and engaging our community with their high-quality news and programming,” Agrawal said. “This transition will set the stage for them to flourish and grow for decades to come.”
The station leaders called the change “bold.” In the release, STLPR CEO Tina Pamintuan said the move “reflects the unwavering support of our donors and friends, whose contributions have made STLPR what it is today. As an organization, the culture we have built over the last three years positions us to succeed in this moment thanks to the extraordinary strength of our staff, operations, and strategic plan.”
“We’re excited to start this new chapter in our longstanding relationship with UMKC,” said KCUR GM Sarah Morris in the release. “Our association has made it possible for us to provide Kansas City audiences with essential news and entertainment programs for decades. But as our industry evolves ever more quickly, this bold move allows us the flexibility to adapt in real time.”
The stations are not anticipating programming or staffing changes because of the transitions, according to the releases.