WHRO Public Media
WHRO Public Media is a Norfolk, Virginia-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) public media organization owned by 21 public school systems, operating television, radio, and digital streaming services, K-12 digital learning products, and an 18-journalist newsroom for Hampton Roads and surrounding regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersNorfolk, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What WHRO Public Media does
WHRO Public Media is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public media organization headquartered at 5200 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia, operating under the legal entity Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association, Inc. (HRETA), which is owned by 21 public school systems across Hampton Roads, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and Northeastern North Carolina. Founded in 1961 as Virginia's first non-commercial educational television station, WHRO now operates four digital television subchannels (WHRO HD, Create, Kids, World), nine radio frequencies spanning NPR news/talk, classical, and oldies formats, and a multi-platform digital streaming service (WHRO+) — making it a regional broadcast and content distribution infrastructure rather than a software or technology company in the conventional sense.
The organization's core products are organized across three business surfaces: (1) Broadcast & Digital Media, anchored by TV 15, WHRV FM (NPR), WHRO FM (classical), WFOS (Time Machine Radio), the WHRO+ Passport streaming platform, and award-winning original series such as Curate 757, Another View, and the At a Crossroads investigative series; (2) Education, delivered through WHRO Education's 30 SOL-aligned digital courses, the statewide eMediaVA repository (184,266 educators and students served in 2020), the VA TV Classroom pandemic response program built with the Virginia Department of Education, and the GreenBeats environmental van program; and (3) Investigative Journalism, operated through the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism (VCIJ), acquired in May 2022 and supported by a ProPublica Local Reporting Network grant, with an 18-journalist newsroom as of May 2026.
WHRO's revenue model is a multi-stream nonprofit structure: recurring individual donations and memberships (sustaining donors at a minimum $8/month receive WHRO+ Passport access), corporate underwriting (distinct from advertising), major gifts and foundation grants (Evelyn Y Davis Foundation, Hampton Roads Community Foundation, the Goode Family, Pulitzer Center), federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, content production partnerships with PBS for national distribution, and ancillary earned revenue from community events (TowneBank Spelling Bee, Hampton Roads Pride) and merchandise. Customer segments are diversified across 26,000+ individual members, the 21 co-owning K-12 school divisions, corporate underwriters, and federal/state education partners, with no single commercial customer dependency.
WHRO Public Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WHRO Public Media
- Legal name
- Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association, Inc.
- Website
- https://whro.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- WHRO Public Media is a Norfolk, Virginia-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) public media organization owned by 21 public school systems, operating television, radio, and digital streaming services, K-12 digital learning products, and an 18-journalist newsroom for Hampton Roads and surrounding regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WHRO Public Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)
Keywords
Where WHRO Public Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norfolk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WHRO Public Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Memberships: WHRO relies on contributions from individuals who become members. The organization offers various donation tiers with thank-you gifts, including WHRO+ Passport access for sustaining donors.
- Corporate Underwriting: Organizations can support WHRO through underwriting opportunities rather than traditional PSAs. Corporate sponsors receive recognition in exchange for financial support.
- Foundation and Major Gifts: WHRO receives significant contributions from foundations including The Evelyn Y Davis Foundation, Hampton Roads Community Foundation, and major donor families. Donors giving $5,000 or more are publicly acknowledged.
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting: WHRO receives federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports public media organizations nationwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | WHRO+ Passport Membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Donation Tiers |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Thank-You Gifts (Premiums) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels12 records
WHRO Public Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WHRO Public Media operates a multi-platform public media organization delivering broadcast television (four channels), multiple radio frequencies, and digital streaming services to Southeastern Virginia, the Eastern Shore, and Northeastern North Carolina. The organization also provides K-12 educational digital learning courses, a statewide digital repository (eMediaVA), investigative journalism through VCIJ, and community programming, funded primarily through individual donations, memberships, and foundation support.
Product overview
WHRO Public Media is a multi-platform public media organization offering a unified portfolio of broadcast television, radio, and digital education services. The core broadcast infrastructure includes WHRO TV 15 with multiple sub-channels (WHRO HD, WHRO Create, WHRO Kids, WHRO World, FNX) and multiple radio stations (WHRV FM NPR News, WHRO FM Classical, WFOS Time Machine Radio, and others). The digital products include WHRO+ streaming service with Passport, and WHRO Education's digital learning platform with 30+ online courses and eMediaVA repository. Programming brands include award-winning series like Curate/Curate 757, Another View, and At a Crossroads. The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism (VCIJ) provides watchdog journalism. Education outreach includes VA TV Classroom, GreenBeats Environmental Van, Work Like A Girl, and annual competitions like the TowneBank Spelling Bee. The organization is owned by 21 public school systems in Hampton Roads and serves Southeastern Virginia, Eastern Shore, and Northeastern North Carolina.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WHRO TV 15 (Television Broadcasting) Multi-channel television broadcast service including WHRO HD (PBS programming), WHRO Create (lifestyle), WHRO Kids (children's content), and WHRO World (documentaries/international). Available over-the-air and on Cox, Charter, and FIOS platforms across Hampton Roads.
- WHRO+ Streaming (Passport) Subscription streaming service offering on-demand access to PBS classics, international series, homegrown shows, and archival content. Requires minimum $8/month membership for WHRO+ Passport access.
- WHRO FM (Classical Radio) 90.3 WHRO FM broadcasts classical music format, serving Hampton Roads communities including Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
- WHRV FM (NPR News Radio) 89.5 WHRV FM broadcasts NPR news and talk programming, serving Hampton Roads with news, public affairs, and cultural content.
- WFOS (Time Machine Radio Network) Oldies format radio network on 88.7 and 99.3 FM, serving Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake areas.
- WHRO Education - Digital Learning Courses Catalog of 30 textbook-independent, award-winning, customizable online courses for K-12 education. Media-rich, SOL-aligned courses including Algebra 2, English 9, Environmental Science, and Math Analysis. Adaptable to Virginia schools' existing LMS.
- eMediaVA WHRO's statewide digital repository providing searchable learning assets. In 2020, 184,266 educators and students across Virginia accessed content through this platform.
- VA TV Classroom Television classroom programming created in partnership with Virginia Department of Education, providing SOL-aligned instruction for grades K-7 during the pandemic. Featured Learn and Grow (K-3) and Continue to Know (4-7) shows.
- Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism (VCIJ) at WHRO Watchdog journalism operation acquired by WHRO in May 2022. Produces investigative reports on issues including Flock Security systems, government surveillance, and environmental topics. Partnered with ProPublica Local Reporting Network.
- TowneBank Spelling Bee Annual regional spelling bee competition for middle school students, produced and televised by WHRO since 2007. Winner advances to Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
- Dimensions Magazine Monthly membership magazine mailed to 26,000 members, featuring radio and TV schedules, behind-the-scenes content, education and outreach stories, and community events.
- NHK WORLD-JAPAN Livestream Livestream of NHK WORLD-JAPAN programming available on WHRO's video platform, expanding international content offerings for viewers.
- Work Like A Girl Part of WHRO's American Graduate: Getting to Work initiative. Raises awareness of skilled career opportunities for young women without requiring college degrees.
Quantifiable outcome
- VCIJ at WHRO's coverage of Flock Security surveillance systems led to public discourse and was recognized with Excellence in Journalism Award from Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use WHRO Public Media
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WHRO Public Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
WHRO Public Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Colonial Williamsburg FoundationcoreWHRO partnered with Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and PBS for America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together, a two-hour national broadcast celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence. WHRO is credited as produced in association with WHRO Public Media.
- PBScoreWHRO produces content for national PBS broadcast. The America Made in Virginia special will air live nationwide on PBS on July 4, 2026. WHRO+ content is distributed through PBS platforms.
- VA250coreWHRO partnered with VA250 organization for America's 250th birthday celebration content, producing the national broadcast America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together.
- Virginia Stage CompanyminorWHRO's GreenBeats Environmental Van Program is a collaboration between WHRO and Virginia Stage Company, creating an innovative immersive educational experience centered on WHRO's popular GreenBeats animated musical video series.
- Smartmouth BrewingminorCreated Strawberry Fields Gose beer as a limited-release collaboration for WHRO's Time Machine Radio launch. 20,000 beer cans distributed regionally.
- Landmark CommunicationsminorPartnership with Landmark Communications to produce and televise The Virginian-Pilot Spelling Bee, continuing annually since 2007.
- Virginia Department of EducationcoreWHRO worked closely with VDOE to create VA TV Classroom providing SOL-aligned instruction to students K-7 during the pandemic. WHRO shared compiled content with other Virginia Public Broadcast Stations (VPM, WBRA, WETA).
- The Nature ConservancyminorVCIJ at WHRO has reported on The Nature Conservancy's conservation projects in southwest Virginia, including investigative coverage of environmental hazards and conservation efforts.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WHRO Public Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WHRO Public Media social profiles
Digital presenceWHRO Public Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WHRO Public Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
WHRO Public Media subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
WHRO Public Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WHRO Public Media 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 WHRO Public Media
What does WHRO Public Media do?
WHRO Public Media operates a multi-platform public media organization delivering broadcast television (four channels), multiple radio frequencies, and digital streaming services to Southeastern Virginia, the Eastern Shore, and Northeastern North Carolina. The organization also provides K-12 educational digital learning courses, a statewide digital repository (eMediaVA), investigative journalism through VCIJ, and community programming, funded primarily through individual donations, memberships, and foundation support.
Is WHRO Public Media a public or private company?
WHRO Public Media is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was WHRO Public Media founded?
WHRO Public Media was founded in 1961.
Where is WHRO Public Media based?
WHRO Public Media is headquartered in Norfolk, United States, in the North America region.
How does WHRO Public Media make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Memberships are the primary driver. The others are corporate Underwriting, foundation and Major Gifts and corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Does WHRO Public Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for WHRO Public Media.
What industry is WHRO Public Media in?
WHRO Public Media's product category is Public Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAH, Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning). Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4833.