KLWN

What KLWN does

KLWN is a privately-held, full-service local radio station operating on dual frequencies — 101.7 FM and 1320 AM — from Lawrence, Kansas, where it has been on the air since 1951. Owned and operated by Great Plains Media, the station functions as the exclusive flagship of the KU Sports Radio Network, broadcasting University of Kansas football, men's and women's basketball, and baseball along with coaches' shows, and also carries FOX Sports Radio syndicated programming. Beyond sports, KLWN produces a slate of local talk shows (According to the Record with Kim Murphree, Radio for Grownups with Joel Becker, Rock Chalk Sports Talk with Kevin Romary, Lawrence Business Magazine, garden, religious, and community programming), local news, severe weather coverage, and high school sports broadcasts. Distribution spans traditional FM/AM broadcast, web streaming, mobile apps on iOS and Android, an Amazon Alexa skill, and a SoundCloud podcast library.

The underlying technology stack is built on the SoCast digital publishing platform (website, CMS, mobile apps, streaming) and the AirKast Alexa skill infrastructure, with FCC-licensed broadcast transmission equipment as the core physical asset. A complementary product called Steals & Deals operates as a local deals platform reselling discounted gift cards from Lawrence-area restaurants and businesses, extending the station's commercial surface beyond traditional advertising.

KLWN generates revenue almost exclusively through local advertising and sports sponsorships. A dedicated sales team — including a Client Solutions & Growth Manager, sales executives, and a Director of Sports Marketing — sells radio spots, digital placements, and tiered sports sponsorships directly to small and medium-sized businesses in Lawrence and Douglas County. Pricing is opaque and quote-based, structured around time slots, program popularity, campaign duration, and sports sponsorship tiers; no public rate card exists. The customer base is highly fragmented across local SMBs spanning restaurants, HVAC, insurance, healthcare, construction, agriculture, and home services. The company employs 11–50 people and has no external venture or growth-equity funding.

Name

KLWN

Legal name

KLWN

Website

https://klwn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KLWN is a privately-held local radio station in Lawrence, Kansas (101.7 FM / 1320 AM) that broadcasts KU Jayhawks sports, high school athletics, local news, weather, and community talk programming to Lawrence and Douglas County residents, generating revenue primarily through local SMB advertising and sports sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Sports Broadcast Stations (Regional Local Rights, High School/College) (MPABACAK), Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Local radio broadcasting
• Sports radio network
• Radio advertising sales
• Live sports coverage
• Community radio station

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Primary revenue stream from local and regional business advertising. Sales team includes Client Solutions & Growth Manager, Sales Executives, and Director of Sports Marketing who work directly with local businesses to create radio and digital advertising campaigns. Rates determined by time slots, program type, and reach metrics.
2. Sports Sponsorship: Dedicated sports sponsorship program where local businesses sponsor high school sports broadcasts and KU sports coverage. Multiple tiers of sponsorship with prominent logo placement on broadcast pages and recognition during games.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KLWN is a local radio station operating on 101.7 FM and 1320 AM in Lawrence, Kansas, broadcasting local news, sports, weather, and community programming. As the flagship station of the KU Sports Radio Network, it delivers live coverage of Kansas Jayhawks athletics and high school sports. The company sells radio advertising spots, digital placements, and sports sponsorships to local businesses through a dedicated sales team.

Product overview

KLWN is a traditional broadcast radio station (101.7 FM and 1320 AM) based in Lawrence, Kansas, operated by Great Plains Media. The station's product portfolio consists of live radio broadcasting as the core offering, supplemented by a mobile streaming app (KLWN Radio App for iOS and Android), an Amazon Alexa voice skill, and a podcast library. The station also operates Steals & Deals, a local deals platform. Content offerings include local news, KU Sports (as the flagship station of the KU Sports Radio Network), high school sports coverage, and community programming. Distribution spans traditional FM/AM radio, mobile apps, web streaming, Amazon Alexa devices, and podcast platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KLWN Radio App Mobile streaming application for iOS and Android devices enabling 24/7 live radio access, on-demand podcasts, sports coverage, and local news for KLWN listeners.
• KLWN Alexa Skill Voice-enabled Amazon Alexa skill allowing hands-free streaming of KLWN radio on Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices with voice commands for play, pause, and volume control.
• KU Sports Radio Network Broadcasts Flagship radio network coverage of University of Kansas sports, covering KU Football, Men's and Women's Basketball, and Baseball with live game broadcasts and coaches shows.
• High School Sports Broadcasts Live high school football, basketball, baseball, and softball game broadcasts on 101.7 FM and 1320 AM, with mobile app streaming and in-stadium FM radio reception.
• KLWN Podcasts Podcast library featuring on-demand versions of radio shows including According to the Record, Radio for Grownups, Rock Chalk Sports Talk, Lawrence Business Magazine, and community programs.
• Local Radio Advertising Sales Radio advertising spots and digital placements sold directly to local Lawrence businesses, with rates determined by time slots, program type, and reach metrics.
• Sports Sponsorship Program Dedicated sports sponsorship program where local businesses sponsor high school sports broadcasts and KU sports coverage, with multiple tiers of sponsorship including prominent logo placement on broadcast pages and recognition during games.
• Steals & Deals Local deals platform offering discounted gift cards from Lawrence-area restaurants and businesses, accessible via the KLWN website as a sub-brand.

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Great Plains MediacoreOthersParent company operating KLWN and other radio stations. Great Plains Media owns and operates the station, providing corporate oversight, sales support, and operational infrastructure. Contact email domain is gpmnow.com. General Manager Spike Santee leads operations under Great Plains Media.
• SoCastcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital platform provider powering KLWN's website, mobile apps, and streaming infrastructure. SoCast provides the content management system, streaming technology, and app development platform. Website footer credits SoCast as 'Powered by SoCast'.
• Cookeville CommunicationsminorOthersParent company logo appears in website footer. Corporate entity related to Great Plains Media operations.
• Lawrence Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner with cross-promotional relationship. KLWN website features Lawrence Chamber of Commerce widget and promotes chamber events to listeners.
• KU Sports Radio NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKLWN is the flagship station for the KU Sports Radio Network, broadcasting Kansas Jayhawks Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Women's Basketball along with coaches shows. This exclusive partnership positions KLWN as the primary audio destination for KU sports in the Lawrence market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio broadcaster operating thousands of AM/FM stations across local markets including Kansas. Comparable as a multi-station local radio operator monetizing through advertising, digital apps, and podcasts, though at vastly larger scale.
• Audacy: Major U.S. radio operator with stations across mid-sized markets, including sports radio properties. Comparable business model of local ad sales, digital streaming, and sports programming syndication.
• Cumulus Media: Second-largest U.S. radio broadcaster with local stations, sports talk programming (Westwood One), and podcast distribution. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping ad sales and sports content infrastructure.
• Townsquare Media: Operates local radio stations in small and mid-sized U.S. markets with a focus on local advertising, live events, and digital. Closely comparable business model to KLWN's local SMB ad sales approach.
• Beasley Media Group: Multi-market radio operator with stations in mid-sized U.S. markets. Comparable local ad sales, sports talk, and digital distribution model.

Regional players

• Hubbard Radio: Privately-held group operating radio stations in select U.S. markets, comparable as a mid-sized local broadcaster with mix of news/talk and sports programming similar to KLWN's format.
• WIBW Radio (Alpha Media): News/talk and sports AM station serving Topeka and northeast Kansas, overlapping KLWN's AM signal range. Comparable regional Kansas broadcaster competing for the same SMB ad market.

Others

• Learfield: College athletics multimedia rights holder that manages KU Sports broadcast rights distribution to KLWN. Comparable as the upstream partner whose relationship is core to KLWN's flagship positioning.

Direct peers

• KJHK 90.7 FM: University of Kansas student-run radio station broadcasting from Lawrence. Direct local-market peer with overlapping Lawrence audience, although non-commercial and student-operated.
• KPR (Kansas Public Radio): Public radio network based at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, broadcasting news, classical, and jazz. Direct local peer sharing the Lawrence market and a portion of the news/talk audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1320KLWN
• Facebookfacebook.com/1017and1320klwn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 KLWN