NRG Media

What NRG Media does

NRG Media is a privately held broadcast and digital media company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, founded in 2005. The company operates 32 radio stations across six Midwest markets — Omaha, Lincoln, Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Ottawa, Wausau, and Northwoods — spanning Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Stations span diverse formats including country, classic rock, classic alternative, news/talk, sports talk, Hot AC, yacht rock, adult hits, and variety, with several high-power 50,000–100,000 watt signals covering multi-state geographies. Beyond broadcast, NRG Media operates a full-service digital marketing agency branded as NRG Digital Marketing, offering display, video, streaming TV (OTT/CTV), streaming audio (including Spotify placement), geofencing, SEM, SEO, email, social (Meta, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok), YouTube, website development, and content marketing services.

The underlying technology stack combines owned broadcast transmission infrastructure with third-party digital ad-tech integrations — Google Analytics/AdSense, TargetSpot, Triton YieldOp, Tag Station NextRadio, ListenLive.co streaming, Eventbrite/Brown Paper Tickets commerce, Neofill payment processing, and Spotify audio placement — rather than proprietary ad-tech. Revenue is generated primarily through (1) traditional AM/FM spot advertising, sponsorships, and promotional campaigns across the 32 stations, and (2) digital marketing services sold as quoted campaigns and retainers to local and regional businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare providers, and manufacturers. Go-to-market is a direct field-sales model with dedicated General Managers, Directors of Sales, and Digital Sales Specialists in each of six markets, supported by website inbound, LinkedIn presence, case studies, white papers, and client testimonials.

The company is led by CEO Mary Quass and COO/CFO Jim Smith, with 251–500 employees, no disclosed parent company, no funding rounds, no public listing, and no M&A activity in the available record. Customer mix is intentionally diversified across SMBs, nonprofits, government, healthcare, and enterprise, with named accounts spanning Lincoln Police Department, Ingredion, Velocity Clinical Research, University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union, Ronald McDonald House, Zoellner Ford, OneVision, and others.

Name

NRG Media

Legal name

NRG Media, LLC

Website

https://nrgmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

NRG Media is a privately held Midwest broadcast and digital media company that operates 32 radio stations across Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin and sells integrated radio plus full-stack digital marketing services (CTV, streaming audio, geofencing, SEM, SEO, social, web) to local and regional SMB, nonprofit, government, and healthcare advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Radio and Digital Advertising

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)

Keywords

• Local radio broadcasting
• Digital marketing services
• Multi-platform advertising
• Connected TV advertising
• Search engine marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising: Traditional AM/FM radio advertising sales across 32 stations in six Midwest markets. Revenue is generated through spot advertising, sponsorships, and promotional campaigns targeting various demographic segments.
2. Digital Marketing Services: Comprehensive digital advertising and marketing services including display ads, video advertising, streaming TV (OTT/CTV), streaming audio, search engine marketing (SEM), SEO, email marketing, social media advertising, YouTube ads, and website development. Services are sold as campaigns and retainer arrangements to local and regional businesses.
3. Website Development: Custom website development services for businesses seeking enhanced digital presence. Projects are quoted and delivered as one-time services with ongoing maintenance potential.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NRG Media operates 32 local AM/FM radio stations across six Midwest markets (Omaha, Lincoln, Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Ottawa, Wausau, Northwoods) and sells advertising airtime on those stations. The company also offers comprehensive digital marketing services to local and regional advertisers, including display advertising, video advertising, streaming TV (OTT/CTV), streaming audio, search engine marketing, SEO, email marketing, social media advertising, YouTube advertising, custom website development, and content marketing. Services are sold through direct field sales teams as integrated multi-channel campaigns.

Product overview

NRG Media is a media broadcasting and digital marketing company operating 32 radio stations across Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The company offers a dual offering: (1) Radio Broadcasting via local radio stations in six Midwest markets (Omaha, Lincoln, Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Ottawa, Wausau, Northwoods) featuring various music formats, sports talk, news/talk, and classic rock; and (2) Digital Marketing Services encompassing Display Advertising, Video Advertising, Streaming TV (OTT/CTV), Streaming Audio, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing (Meta, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok), YouTube Advertising, Website Development, SEO, and Content Marketing. The radio stations serve diverse audience demographics with formats including Hot AC, Country, Classic Rock, Classic Alternative, News/Talk, Sports Talk, Adult Hits, and Yacht Rock.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sweet 98.5 (KQKQ-FM) Omaha Hot AC radio station playing today's top hits, targeting women 18-49.
• 1620 The Zone (KOZN-AM) Omaha sports talk station broadcasting Creighton basketball and NCAA College World Series, targeting men 18-54.
• Yacht Rock 1180 (KZOT-AM) Omaha Yacht Rock station playing classics from Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, Toto, targeting adults 35-64.
• Power 106.9 (KOPW-FM) Omaha hip-hop and R&B station playing artists like SZA, Drake, Doja Cat, Chris Brown, targeting adults 18-49.
• 101.9 The Keg (KOOO-FM) Omaha Classic Alternative station spinning Pearl Jam, The Cure, Green Day, Foo Fighters, targeting adults 35-54.
• News Talk 1290 KOIL (KOIL-AM) Omaha news/talk station featuring nationally recognized hosts, targeting men 55+.
• B107.3 (KBBK-FM) Lincoln at-work Hot AC station, targeting women 25-54.
• RED 94.5 (KBBK-HD2) Lincoln New Music station playing Drake, Post Malone, Ariana Grande in 50-minute commercial-free blocks, targeting adults 18-34.
• Froggy 98 (KFGE-FM) Lincoln Country station with interactive morning show and concerts, targeting Country listeners.
• 1400/99.3 KLIN (KLIN-AM) Lincoln news/talk station covering breaking news, discussion, and Husker sports.
• 105.3 THE BONE (KLNC-FM) Lincoln Classic Rock station playing late '60s to early 2000s rock, targeting Baby Boomers to Gen-Z.
• Rock 108 (KFMW-FM) Eastern Iowa Rock station broadcasting at 100,000 watts with strong social media presence.
• 105.7 KOKZ (KOKZ-FM) Iowa Classic Hits station playing '60s, '70s and '80s music with live and local air talent.
• 107.3 Hank-FM (KPTY-AM/FM) Country music station playing legends from Garth Brooks to Reba with artist stories.
• News Talk 1540 KXEL (KXEL-AM) Eastern Iowa news and information station covering 24 states plus part of Canada at night.
• 93.5 FM & 1430 AM WCMY LaSalle County community radio station featuring CBS news, White Sox baseball, and high school sports, targeting adults 45-64.
• 95.3 Jill-FM (WRKX-FM) LaSalle County Classic Rock station playing timeless anthems from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s, targeting males 35-54.
• Wisconsin's Big Cheese (WBCV-FM 107.9) Wisconsin variety music station playing '70s, '80s, and '90s hits at 100,000 watts, targeting adults 25-54.
• Classic Rock 103.3 (WGLX-FM) Central Wisconsin Classic Rock station with Bob & Tom Show and live local personalities, targeting men 25-54.
• Hot 96.7 (WHTQ-FM) Central Wisconsin hit music station playing new music, targeting women 18-34.
• Today's Best Country Y106.5 (WYTE-FM) Wisconsin Country station playing newest hits plus '90s to now favorites at 100,000 watts.
• Hodag Country 97.3 (WHDG-FM) Wisconsin Northwoods Country station celebrating 30 years at 100,000 watts; official Hodag Country Festival station.
• AM 1570 The Lake (WLKD-AM) Wisconsin Northwoods relaxing music station serving Woodruff, Hazelhurst and Minocqua, targeting adults 55+.
• 95.9 The Island (WMQA-FM)

Quantifiable outcome

• Campaign reach grows by 27% when AM/FM radio is added to a digital-only plan at a 20% budget increase
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• LocaliQ (Gannett): LocaliQ is Gannett's local digital marketing solutions arm offering display, video, SEM, SEO, and social advertising products to SMBs. It competes with NRG Media's digital marketing services arm specifically (rather than the radio side) and represents the primary non-broadcaster competitor for NRG Media's digital agency business.

Broad incumbents

• Bonneville International: Bonneville International is a privately held media company operating radio stations in major Western U.S. markets (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver). While more geographically distant, it represents another scaled, privately held multi-market radio broadcaster comparable to NRG Media's operating model.
• iHeartMedia: iHeartMedia is the largest U.S. radio broadcaster with ~860 stations and a significant digital advertising platform (iHeartMedia Digital). While far larger and nationally focused, it competes with NRG Media for national brand budgets targeting Midwest markets and represents the upper bound of the radio broadcaster scale curve.
• Cumulus Media: Cumulus Media operates ~400 radio stations across the U.S. with a Westwood One distribution arm. It competes in the broader radio broadcasting space and shares NRG Media's emphasis on mid-market local sales, though at materially larger scale and with a recent bankruptcy/restructuring history.
• Audacy: Audacy (formerly Entercom/CBS Radio) operates a national portfolio of ~200 radio stations with a strong sports and news/talk focus, plus the Audacy digital streaming platform. It competes for national advertiser dollars flowing into Midwest markets and represents a relevant scaled incumbent comparable.
• Hubbard Radio: Hubbard Radio operates a smaller portfolio of major-market radio stations (Minneapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, etc.). While focused on top-25 markets rather than NRG's mid-market profile, it represents a relevant privately held multi-market radio broadcaster for comparison.

Direct peers

• Alpha Media: Alpha Media operates ~200 radio stations in mid-sized U.S. markets with a comparable mix of music, news/talk, and sports formats. Its market profile (small/mid-metro focus) and integrated digital services overlap closely with NRG Media's positioning, making it a strong scale-comparable peer.
• Salem Communications: Salem Communications operates a portfolio of radio stations emphasizing news/talk and Christian/conservative formats across multiple U.S. markets. While format-focused differently, Salem shares NRG Media's profile as a mid-sized regional radio broadcaster with limited geographic diversification.
• Townsquare Media: Townsquare Media operates ~320 radio stations across small and mid-sized U.S. markets paired with a digital marketing services arm (Townsquare Interactive), making it the closest direct peer to NRG Media's combined local radio + digital marketing model. Both target local and regional advertisers in non-top-50 markets with bundled radio + digital solutions.
• Mid-West Family Broadcasting: Mid-West Family Broadcasting operates radio stations across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota in mid-sized markets with a similar local-first, community-oriented model. It directly overlaps with NRG Media's geographic footprint and target advertiser segments (SMBs, nonprofits, regional brands).

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nrg-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NRG Media