New England Public Media

What New England Public Media does

New England Public Media (NEPM) is a nonprofit public media organization headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, serving western Massachusetts and adjacent parts of Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Formed in July 2019 through the merger of New England Public Radio (WFCR) and WGBY Public Television, NEPM operates six FCC-licensed radio stations (88.5 NEPM news/talk, WNNZ 640 AM, WNNZ-FM, WNNU, WNNI) plus the WGBY public television station, and the Classical NEPM classical music service distributed across five FM frequencies, HD Radio HD-2 streams, and digital platforms. Its underlying technology stack combines traditional broadcast infrastructure (FM at up to 50,000 watts, AM, television) with digital streaming via nepm.org and classicalnepm.org, dedicated iOS/Android mobile apps, smart speaker skills for Amazon Alexa and Google Home, TuneIn integration, and PBS Passport on-demand video for members.

NEPM's business model is a public media membership-and-underwriting hybrid. It generates revenue from approximately 22,000 individual contributing members across sustaining memberships starting at $5/month and one-time donation tiers ($75, $120, $240, $500), plus a $1,200/year Murrow Society tier; from over 300 local business underwriters; and from institutional grants including Massachusetts Cultural Council, Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, Report for America, Commonwealth of Massachusetts ARPA funds, WGBH Educational Foundation, and in-kind support from the Five College Consortium (UMass Amherst, Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith). Federal funding for public media has been eliminated, making community donations critical to operations. Products include flagship local journalism (The Fabulous 413, The Rundown with Carrie Saldo), the NEPM Media Lab youth education program, PBS Passport streaming, and HD Radio digital broadcasts. Content is distributed through broadcast radio, television, web streaming, mobile apps, and smart speakers, with 101-250 employees supporting operations.

Name

New England Public Media

Legal name

New England Public Media, Inc.

Website

https://nepm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

New England Public Media is a nonprofit public media organization serving western Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire, operating six FCC-licensed radio stations, WGBY television, and Classical NEPM. It delivers local journalism, NPR/PBS programming, and classical music to approximately 22,000 contributing members and 300+ corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting Services

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting services
• Community radio programming
• Local journalism news
• Classical music radio
• Public television broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member Contributions and Donations: Individual member support from approximately 22,000 members through one-time donations and monthly sustaining memberships ($5+ per month). Federal funding for public media has been eliminated, making community donations critical for operations.
2. Corporate Sponsorship and Underwriting: Over 300 local businesses support NEPM through show sponsorships on radio and television. Sponsors and funders play no role in newsroom decision-making, with on-air disclosures provided.
3. Institutional and Grant Funding: Support from educational institutions including UMass Amherst, Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College, plus grants from Massachusetts Cultural Council, Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, Report for America, Commonwealth of Massachusetts ARPA funds, and WGBH Educational Foundation.
4. PBS Passport Membership Benefit: PBS Passport extended access to PBS shows and movies available to members contributing $60 or more annually or sustaining members at $5+ per month, providing additional incentive for donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New England Public Media is a unified nonprofit public media organization serving western Massachusetts and parts of surrounding New England states. It delivers all-day news and talk programming on 88.5 NEPM, 24/7 classical music through Classical NEPM across five FM stations plus HD-2, and PBS programming via WGBY television, complemented by locally-produced podcasts, regional news coverage, and youth education programs. The organization is funded primarily through individual member contributions, corporate underwriting, and institutional grants following the elimination of federal funding for local public media.

Product overview

New England Public Media operates as a unified public media organization serving western Massachusetts, combining radio (88.5 NEPM and Classical NEPM), television (WGBY/NEPM TV), and digital services. The core offerings include 88.5 NEPM (all-day news/talk FM radio), Classical NEPM (classical music service across multiple frequencies), and NEPM TV (PBS television). Supporting products include locally-produced podcasts (The Fabulous 413, The Rundown with Carrie Saldo), the NEPM Media Lab youth education program, PBS Passport streaming membership benefit, and mobile applications. The organization resulted from the 2019 merger of New England Public Radio and WGBY Public Television.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Classical NEPM: Classical music radio service available on multiple FM frequencies and streaming, launched as part of the 2023 programming changes

Products and services

• 88.5 NEPM Primary FM radio station (88.5) broadcasting an all-day news and talk format including NPR programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered, along with locally-produced shows such as The Fabulous 413. Targeted at general listeners in western Massachusetts.
• Classical NEPM A 24/7 classical music radio service available on multiple FM frequencies throughout western Massachusetts, HD Radio HD-2, streaming via classicalnepm.org, smart speakers, and mobile apps. Targeted at classical music enthusiasts.
• NEPM TV (WGBY) Public television service carrying PBS programming, locally-produced content, and educational programming for western Massachusetts and Connecticut. Licensed to the WGBH Educational Foundation.
• The Fabulous 413 NEPM's flagship locally-produced podcast and radio show covering life, culture, politics, and people in western Massachusetts (the 413 area code).
• The Rundown with Carrie Saldo A daily news show providing in-depth coverage and analysis of regional news, politics, and community issues in western Massachusetts.
• NEPM Media Lab An educational youth media program that teaches journalism, media literacy, and audio/video production skills to high school and college students through hands-on experience.
• NEPM Passport A member benefit providing extended on-demand access to PBS shows, movies, and select local productions. Available with annual contributions of $60 or more.
• NEPM Podcasts Collection of podcasts produced by NEPM including The Fabulous 413, The Rundown, and other local shows available for streaming and download.
• Classical NEPM Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that provides 24/7 access to Classical NEPM's classical music programming.
• NEPM News Local news division producing regional news coverage for western Massachusetts, including Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton, and surrounding communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ individual members financially supporting NEPM operations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational public television programming provider whose content (including Masterpiece, NOVA, and PBS Passport exclusives) is broadcast on WGBY and available to NEPM members.
• NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational public radio programming provider whose news programs (Morning Edition, All Things Considered, 1A, On Point, Fresh Air) form the backbone of NEPM's news radio format.
• University of Massachusetts AmherstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicense holder for WFCR 88.5 FM station; provides in-kind services and is a major regional employer whose activities NEPM covers independently in its newsroom.
• Amherst CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing in-kind services; NEPM programs WAMH 89.3 FM when student programming is not on air, making it part of the Classical NEPM network.
• Smith CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing in-kind services; NEPM covers campus school activities and collaborates on educational programming.
• Hampshire CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing in-kind services as part of the Five College Consortium collaboration with NEPM.
• Mount Holyoke CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing in-kind services as part of the Five College Consortium collaboration with NEPM.
• WGBH Educational FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicense holder for WGBY television station; provides in-kind services and access to PBS content and production expertise.
• Five College ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges plus UMass Amherst, providing institutional support and audience engagement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WNYC Studios: WNYC is New York Public Radio's flagship station producing nationally distributed programs (Radiolab, On the Media, The Brian Lehrer Show). It is a much larger peer serving as both an NPR member station and a content producer whose national programs air on stations like NEPM.
• WETA (Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association): WETA is the Washington, D.C. PBS and NPR member station that produced PBS NewsHour. It is comparable as a large, multi-platform public broadcaster with news production, classical programming (WGMS), and PBS Passport-style membership benefits similar to NEPM.
• WGBH / GBH News: GBH is Boston's flagship public media organization operating WGBH-TV (PBS), WGBX, and GBH News radio. It is the direct license holder for NEPM's WGBY television station and a comparable PBS member organization serving a larger, adjacent New England market with overlapping editorial territory.

Others

• PRX (Public Radio Exchange): PRX is a public media distribution platform that supplies podcasts, on-demand content, and program exchange services to stations including NEPM. It is comparable as infrastructure/ecosystem enabling NEPM's podcast and digital distribution without being a direct broadcast competitor.

Direct peers

• WCRB / WGBH Classical: WCRB (operated by GBH) is Boston's primary classical music radio service and the most direct competitor to NEPM's newly launched Classical NEPM network. Comparable in format (24/7 classical, HD Radio, streaming), geography (overlapping Greater Boston and western Mass audiences), and target listener segment.
• WBUR (Boston University Radio): WBUR is Boston's NPR member station, producing local news, talk, and cultural programming across FM and digital. It is a direct peer to NEPM's 88.5 NEPM news service, competing for the same western Massachusetts listeners and donor pool while operating at significantly larger scale.
• NH Public Radio (NHPR): NHPR operates WEVO and translator stations across New Hampshire as the state's primary NPR member station. It is a comparable regional public radio network with similar reliance on member donations and underwriting, and overlaps with NEPM's reach into southern New Hampshire.
• Connecticut Public Broadcasting: Connecticut Public operates WNPR and CPTV as the state's NPR and PBS member stations. It is a direct peer serving a contiguous geographic market where NEPM reaches Connecticut listeners, and shares the same member-supported, multi-platform public media model.
• Maine Public: Maine Public operates Maine Public Radio (WMEA, WMEH, WMEP) and Maine Public Television as a unified public broadcaster. Comparable in mission, funding model (membership, underwriting, grants), and multi-station footprint to NEPM, though serving a different New England state.
• Vermont Public: Vermont Public operates NPR and PBS member stations (WVPR, WRVT, WETK) and digital platforms serving Vermont and the surrounding region. Like NEPM, it is a unified radio/TV public broadcaster reliant on member support and grant funding, with overlapping coverage territory in southern Vermont.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nepublicmedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NewEnglandPublicMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/newenglandpublicmedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nepublicmedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/nepublicmedia

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 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 New England Public Media