"Issues, Etc." Returns to KFUO

On Monday, March 12, the popular Lutheran talk radio show Issues, Etc. will return to KFUO (AM 850 in the St. Louis area, and kfuo.org), the radio station owned and operated by the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. The show will air 3-5 p.m. Central Time.

After its unexpected and ignominious cancellation on March 18, 2008, by synodical officialdom (see here and here), Issues, Etc. returned to the air on June 30, 2008. Since that time Issues, Etc. has been broadcasting its two-hour show (3-5 p.m. Central Time) over the internet with the 4-5 p.m. hour also broadcasting on St. Louis area's KSIV 1320 (Bott Radio Network) on.

Issues, Etc. will remain independent of the LCMS and KFUO Radio as it simply buys airtime from the Synod's radio station. Lutheran Public Radio will maintain editorial and financial control of Issues, Etc. content and programing.

For more information here's the press release:

“Issues, Etc.”, a radio talk show produced by Lutheran Public Radio and hosted by Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Pastor Todd Wilken, will begin broadcasting live Monday, March 12 from 3-5 p.m. CST weekdays on KFUO, 850 AM in St. Louis. “Issues, Etc.” has been broadcasting on KSIV, Bott Radio Network in St. Louis since June 30, 2008. KFUO is owned and operated by the LCMS. The popular radio show aired for more than 15 years on KFUO. However, the LCMS cancelled the program on March 18, 2008.

“By purchasing airtime on KFUO instead of KSIV, we will be able to offer ten hours of live programming each week to St. Louis area listeners instead of five hours of programming. KFUO also provides a stronger signal for our listeners in southern Illinois,” said Jeff Schwarz, general manager of LPR.

“We will not become employees of KFUO or the LCMS,” said Pastor Todd Wilken, host of Issues, Etc. “LPR and KFUO are totally separate entities. When listeners donate to KFUO, they won’t be supporting LPR and vice versa. It is vitally important for us to have complete editorial control and financial independence from the LCMS.”

“We are extremely thankful to the Bott family and to the Bott Radio Network for providing us the opportunity to broadcast Issues, Etc. on KSIV,” Schwarz said. “Almost immediately after the cancellation, we were contacted by Rich Bott and presented with the opportunity to continue broadcasting on a terrestrial radio station in St. Louis.”

LPR will continue to produce “Issues, Etc.” from its studios in Collinsville, IL.

HT: Mollie over at "Steadfast Lutherans"