WHUR 96.3

What WHUR 96.3 does

WHUR 96.3 FM is a Washington, DC-based urban adult contemporary radio station owned and operated by Howard University, broadcasting on the 96.3 FM frequency across the Washington metropolitan area including Prince George's County, Charles County, and Northern Virginia. Founded in 1973, the station targets the African-American consumer demographic in Metro DC with a programming mix of R&B, jazz, gospel, and talk — headlined by the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show and complemented by local news programming (The Daily Drum, Taking It To The Streets) and on-demand podcasts (The Journey interview series).

The station's technology stack consists of a conventional FM broadcast signal, a web-based live streaming service at player.whur.com, and dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, supported by an active social media presence on Facebook (63,000+ followers, reaching 3M+ users weekly during peak periods), Twitter, and Instagram. According to the station's own materials, WHUR reaches over 500,000 African-American listeners weekly on-air and over 50,000 unique monthly listeners online, with digital ad inventory delivering approximately 300,000 impressions per slot at a 0.4% average click-through rate — claimed as roughly four times the 0.1% national average.

WHUR generates revenue exclusively through advertising across three streams: traditional on-air ad spots, digital/online advertising on whur.com, and social-media ad campaigns. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed, billed monthly through a dedicated Sales Department. The customer base comprises local and regional advertisers — including legal services (Greenberg & Bederman), logistics (FedEx), and financial services (Andrews Federal Credit Union) — seeking access to WHUR's engaged African-American Metro DC audience. WHUR operates from studios at 529 Bryant Street NW in Washington, DC, with a team of 101–250 employees under General Manager Sean D. Plater.

Name

WHUR 96.3

Legal name

WHUR 96.3 FM

Website

https://whur.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WHUR 96.3 FM is a Howard University-owned urban adult contemporary radio station in Washington, DC, broadcasting on 96.3 FM and streaming online and via mobile apps to reach African-American consumers in Metro DC through advertising-supported programming and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB)

Keywords

• Urban radio broadcasting
• Digital audio streaming
• Music entertainment programming
• Community news media
• Podcast production distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. On-Air Advertising: Traditional radio advertising spots aired during programming blocks, reaching over 500,000 African-American listeners weekly in Washington DC and surrounding communities including Prince George's County, Charles County and Northern Virginia.
2. Digital/Online Advertising: Banner ads and digital marketing on whur.com website, delivering 300,000 impressions per ad slot with an average click-through rate of 0.4% (compared to 0.1% national average).
3. Social Media Marketing: Advertising campaigns delivered through station's social media network with over 63,000 Facebook followers, sometimes reaching over 3 million users per week.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WHUR 96.3 FM is a Howard University-owned urban adult contemporary radio station broadcasting at 96.3 FM in Washington, DC. The station delivers multi-platform audio content including syndicated and original programming (music, news, talk, gospel, jazz), complemented by on-demand podcasts, online streaming, and a mobile app for iOS and Android. Revenue is generated by selling on-air spots, digital/online advertising inventory, and social media marketing campaigns to advertisers seeking access to the engaged African-American audience in Metro DC.

Product overview

WHUR 96.3 FM is a Howard University-owned urban adult contemporary radio station offering multi-platform audio content delivery. The core product is the broadcast radio station (96.3 FM) complemented by on-demand podcasts (including The Journey interview series and Taking It To The Streets community segments), a dedicated mobile app, and online live streaming via whur.com. Programming includes syndicated shows like the Steve Harvey Morning Show, local community news programming such as The Daily Drum, and specialty weekend programming spanning gospel, jazz, and R&B genres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Daily Drum: Morning news program featured on WHUR 96.3
• The Journey
• WHUR 96.3 App

Products and services

• WHUR 96.3 FM Radio Broadcast Urban adult contemporary radio station broadcasting at 96.3 FM from Washington, DC, owned by Howard University, featuring a mix of R&B, jazz, gospel, and talk programming that reaches over 500,000 African Americans weekly in Metro DC, Prince George's County, Charles County, and Northern Virginia.
• WHUR 96.3 Mobile App Dedicated mobile application for iOS and Android that enables listeners to access live radio streams, podcasts, and station content on mobile devices for on-the-go listening.
• WHUR Online Live Stream Web-based audio streaming service delivering the live WHUR 96.3 FM broadcast to online listeners, reaching 50,000+ unique monthly listeners globally with capacity for 300,000 ad impressions per slot on whur.com.
• WHUR Podcasts On-demand podcast library including The Journey interview series hosted by Howard University President Wayne Frederick, Taking It To The Streets community segments, and show-specific episodes available for streaming via whur.com.
• On-Air Advertising Packages Traditional radio advertising spots aired during WHUR programming blocks, sold via the station's dedicated Sales Department to reach over 500,000 African-American listeners weekly in Washington DC and surrounding communities; packages are custom-priced by reach and frequency on a monthly billing cadence.
• Digital / Online Advertising Banner and digital display advertising on whur.com, delivering 300,000 potential impressions per ad slot at a 0.4% average click-through rate (4x the 0.1% national benchmark), packaged via impression-based pricing on a monthly billing cadence.
• Social Media Marketing Campaigns Advertising campaigns delivered through WHUR's social media network of 63,000+ Facebook followers, sometimes reaching over 3 million users per week during high-engagement periods, providing amplification beyond on-air and display inventory.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.4% average click-through rate compared to 0.1% national average
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FedExcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2026FedEx has partnered with WHUR for the 14th Annual Moms Who Serve Luncheon, a signature community event honoring mothers who serve their communities. FedEx co-sponsored the event providing swag bags for attendees alongside WHUR and Andrews Federal Credit Union.
• Andrews Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2026Andrews Federal Credit Union partnered with WHUR and FedEx for the 14th Annual Moms Who Serve Luncheon, a signature community event honoring women who serve in various capacities including military, law enforcement, firefighting, education, and healthcare. The credit union also partners with WHUR and USO for care package packing events.
• NBC4 WashingtoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026WHUR partnered with NBC4 for the Backyard Bash community event that brought food, family, and community fun to a Southeast DC neighborhood, featuring NBC4's on-air presence.
• USOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026WHUR partnered with Andrews Federal Credit Union and USO to pack 1,000 care packages for troops, demonstrating the station's commitment to community service and military support.
• Greenberg & Bederman Personal Injury LawyersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreenberg & Bederman Personal Injury Lawyers sponsor gas card giveaways through the Pump It Up DMV promotion on WHUR, providing $75 gas cards as prizes for contest winners.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WMMJ 102.3 (Magic): Washington DC-area Urban AC radio station owned by Urban One, targeting African-American listeners in the same DC Metro geography and same advertiser pool. Direct competitor to WHUR's format and audience.
• WKYS 93.9: DC-Metro urban contemporary radio station competing for the same African-American listenership and local advertiser budgets. Head-to-head competitor in audience share and ad pricing.
• WPGC 95.5: DC-Metro hip-hop and R&B formatted station competing for African-American listeners and advertisers in the same geography. Comparable urban format and demographic focus.
• WAMU 88.5: American University-owned public radio station serving the DC market with deep news and public-affairs programming. Competes with WHUR for DC listener hours and high-quality advertiser inventory, with shared university-ownership operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Urban One (Radio One): The largest U.S. radio broadcaster focused on African-American listeners; owns WMMJ, WKYS, Magic and other urban-formatted stations nationwide. Comparable business model around urban-format advertisers and audiences at much larger scale.
• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. commercial radio conglomerate operating hundreds of stations including urban formats in DC. Comparable ad sales infrastructure and multi-platform distribution model (broadcast + digital + app + podcast).
• Audacy: Major U.S. commercial radio operator with urban-formatted stations in DC and other large markets. Comparable broadcast + streaming + podcast monetization model at significantly larger scale than WHUR.
• Cumulus Media: Second-largest U.S. commercial radio broadcaster with urban and multicultural formats across major markets. Comparable broadcast operations and digital audio monetization strategy.
• Emmis Communications: Urban-format-focused operator (e.g., Hot 97 NYC, Hot 99.5 DC). Operates radio stations and a podcast/audio network that reach African-American audiences at scale similar to WHUR's target demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WHURfm
• Facebookfacebook.com/963WHUR
• Instagraminstagram.com/whurfm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 WHUR 96.3