EMF Acquires Longstanding Hispanic Radio Partner
While not a purchase, the absorption means changes in operating structure
Educational Media Foundation (EMF), the parent organization behind the Christian noncommercial networks K-LOVE and Air1, is set to acquire Radio Nueva Vida—a Spanish-language Christian radio network—from the Association for Community Education (ACE). 
EMF and Radio Nueva Vida parent ACE announced the agreement on December 12.
Under the non-cash deal, which requires FCC approval, EMF will become ACE’s sole member and effectively incorporate Radio Nueva Vida and its existing staff as a subsidiary, according to Inside Radio.
This will make the network, its four California stations, and about 60 translators part of the EMF family of companies.
Under the agreement, EMF will acquire KEYO Fresno (980), KGZO Bakersfield (90.9), KDRH Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz (91.3), and KMRO Oxnard-Ventura (90.3) from the Camarillo, California-based ACE. This group initially launched Radio Nueva Vida on KMRO in 1987. EMF will also take over Radio Nueva Vida’s live events division, which organizes evangelistic rallies and prayer gatherings across California, other states, and Mexico.
Both ministries have collaborated for nearly 15 years, with EMF already carrying Radio Nueva Vida programming on several of its stations. The acquisition comes as EMF extends its outreach into the Hispanic community. Earlier this year, EMF launched Música de Adoración!, a Spanish worship stream powered by Air1. To date, the digital station has had 300,000 hours of stream time. Nine stations owned by EMF already carry Radio Nueva Vida programming.
Under the new deal, EMF will become the sole member of the operating association and assume all assets and liabilities. Team members from RNV will continue in their roles under the new operating structure. EMF will provide Radio Nueva Vida’s fundraising and operating infrastructure to strengthen the group’s underlying foundation.
Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.
Depending on how the change is structured, the listeners are only expected to notice a little difference following the shift. From EMF’s perspective, the arrangement enables Radio Nueva Vida and EMF to broaden their combined reach and serve Spanish-speaking Christians throughout the United States more effectively.
Marketed as “Your Station for Christian Radio,” Radio Nueva Vida is available through a network of stations and translators spanning California, Alaska, Arizona, Florida (via an FM translator near Jacksonville), Idaho, Illinois (via an FM translator near Chicago), Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (via HD multicast), Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and the Baja California cities of Tijuana and Mexicali.
A filing in the LMS by EMF’s FCC legal counsel—Paige Fronabarger and David Oxenford of Wilkinson Barker Knauer—is expected soon.
In the last 18 months, Educational Media Foundation (EMF), operator of the K-LOVE and Air1 radio networks, has seen notable leadership upheaval. Two CEOs—Bill Reeves (2019–March 2023) and Todd Woods (March–May 2023)—have departed, and several other top executives also left during the same period. Long-tenured staff members, including the chief financial officer and key officers in transitions, engagement, and information technology, moved on to other organizations or retirement. Prominent radio host Skip Mahaffey left as well.
Additionally, there have been challenges amongst the board of directors. In March, EMF’s board chairperson Donna Ecton sued Todd Woods and other members of the board, including Jerry Shirer, Todd Stultz, and Mark Brannon, for removing her from the position of chairperson purportedly without cause.
A year ago, in December 2023, The Association of Professional Radio Engineers (APRE) filed a federal lawsuit accusing EMF senior broadcast engineer Shane Toven of misappropriating over $100,000 while serving as APRE’s treasurer from 2018 to 2022.
Toven settled with APRE out of court in April, and will reimburse the entire sum plus interest.
In the MinistryWatch database, EMF has an A transparency grade, a donor confidence score of 78 out of 100, but a financial efficiency rating of only 2 stars.
According to the most recent numbers available to MinistryWatch, EMF has over $1.1 billion in assets and more than $94 million in total liabilities. Those numbers have grown substantially since 2018 as has EMF’s revenue.
In 2018, it had revenue of $189 million and in 2022, its revenue was over $238 million, exceeding its expenses by almost $73 million.
TO OUR READERS: Do you have a story idea, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? Please email us: [email protected]
