95.3 The Bear
95.3 The Bear (WFFN-FM) is a country music radio station broadcasting on 95.3 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, owned by Townsquare Media. It serves West Alabama with local news, weather, Alabama Crimson Tide sports coverage, and advertising solutions for local businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNorthport, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 95.3 The Bear does
95.3 The Bear (legally WFFN-FM, DBA "95.3 The Bear" / "WFFN 95.3 The Bear") is a country music FM radio station broadcasting on 95.3 MHz from studios at 142 Skyland Blvd. East in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The station is owned and operated by Townsquare Media, Inc., a privately held U.S. media company that runs a portfolio of local radio stations and digital advertising platforms in secondary and tertiary markets. 95.3 The Bear brands itself as "Bama's Best Country, 90s to Now" and serves the Tuscaloosa and West Alabama market with a mix of country music programming, local news coverage, weather and severe weather updates, community event reporting, and Alabama Crimson Tide sports content. On-air personalities include Steve Shannon, DC (also Brand Manager), John Garrett, Paul Orr, and Mary K, with the Steve & DC Morning Show as the flagship program.
The station's content and advertising surface spans multiple distribution channels: terrestrial FM broadcast (primary), live audio streaming on 953thebear.com, dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, voice-activated playback via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and on-demand content including the Steve & DC podcast and radio replay. Marketing and audience engagement run through the station website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X/Twitter), an email newsletter, and recurring community events and contests such as Hall Pass Cash, Summer Sizzle, and the Big Ol' Buck Hunting Contest. The website additionally functions as a local news outlet covering community events, local crime and courts, weather, and lifestyle topics for West Alabama readers.
Commercially, 95.3 The Bear operates as a sales-led advertising business, monetizing its audience through on-air ad spots, digital advertising packages, event sponsorships, and contest sponsorships directed at local Tuscaloosa and West Alabama businesses. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with advertisers directed to contact the station via an "Advertise With Us" intake. The station has 11-50 employees and is operationally embedded within Townsquare Media's broader local media infrastructure, where parent-level reporting indicates digital revenue now represents roughly 55% of total net revenue, signaling ongoing portfolio migration toward digital ad inventory even at the local-station level.
95.3 The Bear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 95.3 The Bear
- Legal name
- Townsquare Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://953thebear.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 95.3 The Bear (WFFN-FM) is a country music radio station broadcasting on 95.3 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, owned by Townsquare Media. It serves West Alabama with local news, weather, Alabama Crimson Tide sports coverage, and advertising solutions for local businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
95.3 The Bear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)
Keywords
Where 95.3 The Bear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northport
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
95.3 The Bear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Radio Advertising: Traditional radio advertising revenue from local businesses in the Tuscaloosa market, including on-air spots and potential digital advertising packages. Parent company Townsquare reported that digital revenue represents 55% of total net revenue, indicating significant digital advertising integration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Radio advertising packages for local businesses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
95.3 The Bear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
95.3 The Bear (WFFN-FM) is a country music radio station broadcasting on 95.3 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, offering the format "Bama's Best Country, 90s to Now" with live DJ programming. The station distributes its audio content across FM radio, website streaming, iOS/Android mobile apps, and smart speaker platforms (Alexa, Google Home). It monetizes its local audience primarily through on-air and digital advertising sold to Tuscaloosa-area businesses.
Product overview
95.3 The Bear is a country music radio station broadcasting on 95.3 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, owned by Townsquare Media. The station operates as a unified media platform combining traditional AM/FM radio broadcast with digital streaming services. The core offering is the live radio broadcast featuring 'Bama's Best Country, 90s to Now' format with local personality programming. This is augmented by live web streaming, mobile applications for iOS and Android, on-demand podcast content (including the Steve & DC Morning Show), a recently played track listing, and local news/community content website. The station also engages audiences through contest and sweepstakes programs like Hall Pass Cash and Summer Sizzle. Listeners can access content through the station's website, dedicated mobile apps, or voice assistants (Alexa and Google Assistant).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 95.3 The Bear FM Radio Broadcast
- Radio Advertising Solutions
Companies that use 95.3 The Bear
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
95.3 The Bear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability1 record
95.3 The Bear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
95.3 The Bear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Audacy: Multi-platform audio broadcaster combining FM stations with digital streaming and podcasting. Comparable in pursuing integrated audio advertising and reaching local audiences through hybrid broadcast/digital models.
- Emmis Communications: Smaller US radio broadcaster with stations in select markets. Operates a comparable local broadcast model with focus on community content and local ad sales.
- Cox Media Group: Diversified media company with radio and TV stations across US markets. Comparable in leveraging broadcast + digital ad sales to serve local advertisers.
- Bonneville International: Family-owned US radio broadcaster operating stations in western markets. Comparable as a privately-held operator of local FM stations with multi-platform distribution.
- Cumulus Media: Major US radio operator with extensive station portfolio including country formats in small markets. Directly comparable in scale, format mix, and local ad sales approach.
- Townsquare Media: Direct parent company operating a portfolio of local radio stations and digital platforms across secondary and tertiary US markets. Most directly comparable peer given shared ownership, infrastructure, and operating model.
- Beasley Media Group: Operates radio stations across multiple US markets with a mix of music and talk formats. Comparable as a smaller-scale broadcast group navigating similar digital transition challenges.
- iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster with hundreds of AM/FM stations in similar small-to-mid markets. Competes directly for local ad budgets and audience share with comparable multi-platform distribution and digital extensions.
- Salem Communications: US radio broadcaster with focus on talk, news, and Christian formats in mid-size markets. Comparable in operating local radio stations as small-scale broadcast assets.
Others
- Spotify: Audio streaming platform competing for the same listener attention and advertising dollars. Indirect competitor as country music and podcast consumption shifts on-demand and away from local AM/FM listening.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
95.3 The Bear social profiles
Digital presence95.3 The Bear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
95.3 The Bear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
95.3 The Bear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
95.3 The Bear M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 95.3 The Bear
What does 95.3 The Bear do?
95.3 The Bear (WFFN-FM) is a country music radio station broadcasting on 95.3 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, offering the format "Bama's Best Country, 90s to Now" with live DJ programming. The station distributes its audio content across FM radio, website streaming, iOS/Android mobile apps, and smart speaker platforms (Alexa, Google Home). It monetizes its local audience primarily through on-air and digital advertising sold to Tuscaloosa-area businesses.
Is 95.3 The Bear a public or private company?
95.3 The Bear is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 95.3 The Bear founded?
95.3 The Bear was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 95.3 The Bear based?
95.3 The Bear is headquartered in Northport, United States, in the North America region.
How does 95.3 The Bear make money?
One revenue line is on record: radio Advertising.
Who are 95.3 The Bear's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Audacy, Emmis Communications, Cox Media Group, Bonneville International, Cumulus Media, Townsquare Media, Beasley Media Group, iHeartMedia and Salem Communications. Spotify is listed as an others.
Does 95.3 The Bear have an API?
No public API is recorded for 95.3 The Bear.
What industry is 95.3 The Bear in?
95.3 The Bear's product category is Local Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAEAA, Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM), with a secondary code of MPABACAC, Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.