KFUO Celebrates 100 Years as Oldest Christian Radio Station

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, November 19, 2024

KFUO-AM/St. Louis

KFUO-AM in St. Louis, the world's longest continuously operating Christian radio station, is marking its centennial year of broadcasting, celebrating 100 years of sharing faith-based programming since its first broadcast on December 14, 1924. Owned by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), KFUO began in a modest attic studio at Concordia Seminary on South Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis.

The station has launched a year-long series of centennial events with an open house on October 12. Visitors can explore a history display showcasing vintage radios, historic equipment, and photographs documenting the station's evolution over the last century. Studio tours will also be available throughout the year.

KFUO is honoring its history through special on-air programming, including interviews with former staff, audio archives, and a centennial documentary available on YouTube. Additionally, the station is producing an original radio drama adaptation of The Hammer of God by Lutheran theologian Bo Giertz.

KFUO has been at the forefront of religious broadcasting and technological advancements since its inception. The station played a key role in the syndication of religious programming, including The Lutheran Hour, which originated from KFUO's studios in the 1930s. Early syndication efforts relied on physical media like records and reel-to-reel tapes before transitioning to satellite delivery and eventually digital platforms.

In 1948, KFUO-FM became the first FM station west of the Mississippi River, a milestone that demonstrated the station's commitment to innovation. In the 1990s, KFUO and the LCMS won a landmark case against the Federal Communications Commission, affirming religious broadcasters' rights and shaping regulatory policies still in place today.

KFUO was also an early adopter of internet streaming and podcasting, launching its first podcasts in 2002. Today, its online content reaches a global audience, with more than 2 million downloads annually.