WGTE Public Media

What WGTE Public Media does

WGTE Public Media (legally the Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public broadcasting organization founded in 1952 and headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. It operates as an FCC dual-licensee station with one television property (WGTE TV, with sub-channels PBS KIDS and CREATE) and four FM radio stations (FM 91, WGBE, WGDE, WGLE), serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. The organization distributes PBS and NPR national programming alongside an extensive locally-produced portfolio including classical and jazz radio shows (Morning Classics, Afternoon Classics, Jazz Spectrum), documentary series (Toledo Stories, Listening with Keith Burris, Magic of the Old West End), interview programs (To The Point with Doni Miller, Business | Life 360), and a growing network of community podcasts (Toledo Works, La Prensa HABLA!, A Moment of Truth, TPS Proud Out Loud, Voices Around Us®) co-produced with regional media, education, and cultural partners. Core technology is a multi-platform broadcast and digital distribution stack spanning over-the-air transmission, PBS player live streaming, a WGTE mobile app, and podcast syndication including international distribution via PRX. WGTE generates revenue from individual donations and memberships (including WGTE Passport), corporate underwriting, federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, state and local appropriations, private foundation grants, and vehicle/in-kind donations. The organization is led by President and CEO Marlon P. Kiser and employs 11-50 staff.

Name

WGTE Public Media

Legal name

Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio

Website

https://wgte.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WGTE Public Media is a 501(c)(3) public broadcasting organization operating TV (WGTE HD) and four FM radio stations serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, distributing PBS and NPR content alongside locally produced podcasts, radio, and TV programming funded by donations, underwriting, and CPB grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting
• Television programming
• Radio broadcasting
• Educational media
• Community content

Headquarters

HQ city

Toledo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener/Viewer Donations and Membership: Primary revenue from donations and membership contributions from listeners and viewers in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Includes annual fund drives and member benefits such as WGTE Passport.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships from businesses seeking to reach public media audiences. Includes Benefactors Circle and Community Partners programs.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), federal, state, and local government entities, and private foundations supporting public broadcasting.
4. Vehicle and In-Kind Donations: Vehicle donation program allowing supporters to contribute automobiles, boats, and other vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WGTE Public Media operates as a dual-licensee public broadcasting station delivering PBS-affiliated television programming (WGTE HD, PBS KIDS, CREATE) and classical/jazz FM radio (FM 91) to Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. It supplements national content with locally produced radio programs, podcasts (including Voices Around Us® and The Local Thread coalition), educational resources for educators and families, and live streaming through the PBS player and mobile app.

Product overview

WGTE Public Media is a dual-license public broadcasting station (television and radio) serving northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The organization operates as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture centered on two core broadcast products: WGTE TV (WGTE HD with sub-channels PBS KIDS and WGTE CREATE) and FM 91 Radio. These core products are extended through subscription video-on-demand (WGTE Passport), live streaming services, educational resource programs for educators and families, and an extensive portfolio of locally-produced radio programs (Morning Classics, Afternoon Classics, Jazz Spectrum, Living American Composers) and podcasts (Toledo Works, The Anderson Hour, La Prensa HABLA!, A Moment of Truth, Voices Around Us, Life As We Know It). The portfolio integrates PBS national content with regional programming to serve the community's educational and informational needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FM 91: Classical music and news radio station operated by WGTE Public Media
• WGTE TV
• WGTE Connects
• WGTE Passport
• Voices Around Us
• The Ohio Newsroom

Products and services

• WGTE TV (WGTE HD) Primary WGTE television broadcast service offering PBS national programming (Masterpiece, Nature, Antiques Roadshow, Finding Your Roots), locally produced shows, and specialty sub-channels including PBS KIDS and WGTE CREATE, distributed over-the-air to Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
• FM 91 Radio Public radio service from WGTE featuring classical and jazz music programming, NPR national content, and locally produced shows broadcast from WGTE's studios across FM 91 (WGTE FM 91, WGBE, WGDE, WGLE).
• WGTE Passport Subscription video-on-demand member benefit providing WGTE supporters with extended access to PBS content and library programming, included with WGTE membership.
• Education Services Educational resource offerings for K-12 educators, students, and families including PBS LearningMedia content, classroom materials, professional development, early learning programs, PBS KIDS resources, and workshops for educators and caregivers.
• Live Streaming Real-time streaming of WGTE television and FM 91 radio programming via the PBS player platform and the WGTE mobile app, providing online and on-the-go access to WGTE HD, PBS KIDS, CREATE, and NHK sub-channels.
• Local Podcasts Collection of locally produced podcast series covering community topics including education, local news, arts, and culture (e.g., Voices Around Us®, Toledo Works, La Prensa HABLA!, A Moment of Truth, The Anderson Hour, Life As We Know It, TPS Proud Out Loud), distributed via RSS, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, NPR, and Amazon Music.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 Telly Awards in 2026 recognized excellence in television production
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBS provides national programming content including Masterpiece, Nature, Antiques Roadshow, Finding Your Roots, and PBS KIDS content. WGTE operates as a PBS member station distributing PBS content to Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan audiences.
• NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPR provides national radio programming and news content distributed through WGTE's FM 91 radio station and integrated into website and podcast platforms.
• MidstorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidstory is a nonprofit organization dedicated to weaving narratives that inform, interpret and inspire the region. Partnership produces The Midstory Hour weekly radio show on FM 91 featuring regional stories and behind-the-scenes conversations.
• La PrensacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Prensa is the region's oldest and largest weekly, bilingual Latinx newspaper. Partnership produces La Prensa HABLA! podcast covering topics relevant to Latinx culture including local, national and international news, agricultural workers, and community leaders.
• The Sojourner's TruthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sojourner's Truth is a 25-year-old African American newspaper serving Toledo. Partnership produces A Moment of Truth podcast exploring critical issues in the African American community including business, health, education and travel.
• Toledo Free PresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToledo Free Press is a local news outlet. Partnership produces Toledo Works podcast highlighting stories from workers across Toledo's workforce, exploring day-to-day challenges and triumphs.
• Toledo Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToledo Public Schools (TPS) is the fourth-largest urban school district in Ohio. Partnership produces TPS Proud Out Loud podcast providing insight about the district's mission and innovative educational opportunities.
• Bowling Green State University (BGSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGSU's MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music sponsors the annual New Music Festival and Music at the Forefront concert series. WGTE produces Living American Composers: New Music from Bowling Green radio series featuring these performances, distributed internationally via PRX.
• Toledo Symphony School of MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint production of Future Classics web series featuring students from the Toledo Symphony School of Music in conversation and performance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WTVS Detroit Public Television: PBS member station serving Southeast Michigan (WGTE's overlapping radio market). Comparable mid-size public broadcaster with similar educational programming focus and geographic adjacency in the Detroit-Toledo corridor.
• NET (Nebraska Public Media): Statewide public broadcasting network operating multiple TV and radio stations across Nebraska. Comparable dual-license public broadcasting model with educational programming, local content production, and similar mid-size market positioning.
• Ideastream Public Media: Ohio-based public broadcasting organization operating dual TV (WVIZ) and radio (WCPN, WCLV) stations in Cleveland. Closest direct comparable in terms of market size, dual-license structure, and PBS/NPR membership serving a mid-size Ohio market.

Broad incumbents

• WGBH (Boston): Major PBS producing station with national programming (Frontline, NOVA, American Experience). Overlaps with WGTE in PBS membership and public media mission but at a materially larger production scale and national footprint.
• WETA (Washington DC): Larger PBS member station producing national content including PBS NewsHour. Comparable public broadcasting mission and dual platform model, but operates at significantly greater scale in a major media market.

Regional players

• WDET (Detroit Public Radio): NPR member station serving Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Comparable public radio model with news, talk, and music programming in WGTE's adjacent market, though WGTE operates TV in addition to radio.
• WCMU Public Media (Central Michigan University): University-licensed PBS and NPR affiliate serving central and northern Michigan. Comparable mid-size public broadcaster with dual TV/radio operations across a similar geographic footprint.
• WOSU Public Media (Columbus): Central Ohio PBS/NPR member station operating television and radio outlets from Columbus. Similar dual-license public media model serving an Ohio region, though in a larger metropolitan market.
• CET (Cincinnati Public Media): PBS member station serving the Cincinnati market. Similar Ohio public broadcasting role with educational programming and local content production, though in a larger metropolitan area.

Emerging players

• WBGU-TV (Bowling Green State University): University-licensed PBS member station in Bowling Green, Ohio. Already a WGTE content partner via the Living American Composers series; comparable in scale and operating in adjacent Northwest Ohio market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wgtepublic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WGTEPublicMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/wgtepublic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wgte-public-broadcasting
• Instagraminstagram.com/wgtepublic
• TikToktiktok.com/@wgtepublic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 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 WGTE Public Media