WILS
WILS is a Lansing, Michigan AM talk radio station (1320 kHz) operating since 1947 under MacDonald Broadcasting, serving Mid-Michigan listeners with syndicated and local talk programming, Fox News updates, and a portfolio of branded podcasts, monetized via local advertising sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersLansing, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What WILS does
WILS (1320 AM) is a Lansing, Michigan-based talk radio station operating on a 1320 kHz AM frequency since 1947, broadcasting nationally syndicated conservative talk personalities (Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Lars Larson, Will Cain, George Noory, among others) alongside local morning programming and half-hourly Fox News updates. The station is owned and operated by MacDonald Broadcasting Company, a privately held local broadcaster that runs multiple AM properties in the Lansing market. The primary audience is Lansing/Mid-Michigan residents seeking local news, talk radio entertainment, and regional sports coverage; local news is produced in-house under the 1320 WILS News Team brand.
The core technology stack is a traditional AM broadcast transmitter augmented by digital distribution: live online streaming through maindigitalstream.com, on-demand podcast distribution for multiple branded shows, and a website (1320wils.com) built on Envisionwise technology and powered by LinkedUpRadio. The product portfolio combines a single AM broadcast signal with a portfolio of podcasts — The WILS Morning Wake-Up, The Capital City Recap, Mid Michigan Pet Expert Talk Show, Behind the Mitten (a statewide travel/food show), Total Michigan, and Frontlines of Freedom (military affairs) — extending audience reach beyond the AM signal footprint.
The business model is straightforward advertising-based monetization. WILS sells advertising inventory (on-air spots) to local and regional businesses in the Lansing/Mid-Michigan market through a direct sales approach, with the website prominently featuring a "Contact Us Today For Advertising Opportunities!" call-to-action. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; billing cadence is monthly. There is no evidence of subscription, programmatic, or non-advertising revenue streams. The station also runs community events and an internship program as ancillary engagement and talent-pipeline activities. Headcount is 11–50 employees, and the station is privately held with no disclosed funding events.
WILS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WILS
- Legal name
- MacDonald Broadcasting Company
- Website
- https://1320wils.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WILS is a Lansing, Michigan AM talk radio station (1320 kHz) operating since 1947 under MacDonald Broadcasting, serving Mid-Michigan listeners with syndicated and local talk programming, Fox News updates, and a portfolio of branded podcasts, monetized via local advertising sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WILS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Talk Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)
Keywords
Where WILS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lansing
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WILS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Radio Advertising: The station generates revenue primarily through selling advertising spots to local businesses in the Mid-Michigan region. The website prominently features 'Contact Us Today For Advertising Opportunities!' indicating an active advertising sales operation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Radio advertising rates - custom quotes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
WILS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1320 WILS is a Lansing, Michigan AM talk radio station broadcasting on 1320 kHz, offering locally programmed morning shows, syndicated national talk personalities, Fox News updates every half hour, local news coverage of Lansing/Mid-Michigan, and on-demand podcasts (The WILS Morning Wake-Up, The Capital City Recap, Behind the Mitten, Mid Michigan Pet Expert Talk Show, Total Michigan, Frontlines of Freedom). Revenue is generated through the sale of advertising spots to local Mid-Michigan businesses.
Product overview
WILS is a talk radio station operating as a single product offering, combining AM broadcast radio with digital podcast distribution. The core product is 1320 WILS AM Radio, which features syndicated national talk show personalities alongside locally-produced content. Digital extensions include several branded podcasts including The WILS Morning Wake-Up, The Capital City Recap, Mid Michigan Pet Expert Talk Show, and the syndicated Behind the Mitten podcast. The station also provides local news coverage and integrates Fox News updates on a half-hourly schedule.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 1320 WILS AM Radio Lansing's More Compelling Talk Radio station broadcasting on 1320 AM frequency, featuring syndicated talk show personalities including Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Lars Larson, and Will Cain alongside local hosts and Fox News updates every half hour, targeting Lansing/Mid-Michigan listeners and local advertisers.
- The WILS Morning Wake-Up Morning talk show podcast featuring local news, interviews, and discussion of Mid-Michigan topics for Lansing-area listeners who want on-demand access to the live broadcast.
- The Capital City Recap Daily news recap podcast covering local and regional stories from the Lansing, Michigan area for time-shifted listening.
- Behind the Mitten Statewide travel, food, and beverage podcast focusing on Michigan destinations, produced by John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman and broadcast on 1320 WILS.
- Mid Michigan Pet Expert Talk Show Weekly pet care podcast featuring veterinary expertise and animal wellness advice for Mid-Michigan pet owners, co-hosted by Lee Cohen and Dr. William Schultz.
- Total Michigan: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Things Podcast featuring inspiring stories from Michigan's top businesses, non-profits, and tourist destinations, hosted by Cliff Duvernois and aired on 1320 WILS.
- Frontlines of Freedom Military news and talk radio program addressing topics facing the U.S. Armed Forces, hosted by Lt. Col. Denny Gillem on 1320 WILS.
Companies that use WILS
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WILS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
WILS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MacDonald Broadcasting CompanycoreWILS is owned and operated by MacDonald Broadcasting Company. MacDonald Broadcasting owns and operates AM radio properties in Lansing, Michigan. Lee Cohen serves as Local Sales Manager for MacDonald Broadcasting's AM properties in Lansing MI.
- LEAPminorLEAP is listed as a partner on the station website, though specific details of the partnership arrangement are not detailed in available source material.
- MSU Federal Credit UnionminorMSU Federal Credit Union is a title sponsor for WILS sister station Power 96.5 FM's annual backpack giveaway event, demonstrating cross-promotional marketing partnerships.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WILS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WTKG (1230 AM, Grand Rapids): Grand Rapids-based AM talk station. WTKG mirrors WILS's format (news/talk AM serving a Michigan mid-sized market) and competes for the same regional advertiser and political-issue talk audience.
- WOOD Radio (1300 AM / 106.9 FM, Grand Rapids): West Michigan's primary news/talk station owned by iHeartMedia. WOOD competes with WILS for Michigan talk listeners and advertisers in a similarly mid-sized regional market, with overlapping syndicated content and a comparable local news model.
- WJR (760 AM, Detroit): Michigan's flagship news/talk AM station based in Detroit. WJR shares WILS's news/talk AM format, reliance on nationally syndicated hosts, and regional Michigan audience, and both compete for the same statewide talk-radio ad and listenership pool.
- MacDonald Broadcasting Company: Parent company of WILS, operating additional AM properties in Lansing. The sister stations share sales, back-office, and community assets with WILS, making them the closest operational comparables in format, market, and ownership model.
Broad incumbents
- iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio operator with extensive AM/FM holdings and a national digital audio platform. iHeartMedia is the dominant incumbent WILS competes against for local Michigan ad spend and syndicated content distribution.
- Cumulus Media: Major U.S. radio broadcaster with a large portfolio of AM/FM stations, including news/talk formats, and the Westwood One syndication network that supplies many hosts airing on WILS. Represents the broader competitive and supply landscape.
- Townsquare Media: Operator of mid-sized market radio clusters, including news/talk and local content stations comparable in market profile to WILS. Townsquare is a relevant benchmark for small/mid-market local broadcaster economics.
- Audacy: National radio operator running major news/talk and sports stations and a significant digital audio platform. Audacy competes for local ad budgets and digital listener attention across the markets where WILS operates.
- Saga Communications: Mid-market-focused radio broadcaster running clusters of local stations, many in markets comparable to Lansing. Saga is a relevant peer for cluster-based regional radio economics and small-market news/talk operations.
Regional players
- WTAM (1100 AM, Cleveland): Cleveland-market news/talk AM station operating in a different geography but with a similar format, syndicated host lineup, and Rust Belt state-capital/mid-market profile, making it a useful regional analog for WILS.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WILS social profiles
Digital presenceWILS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WILS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WILS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WILS 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 WILS
What does WILS do?
1320 WILS is a Lansing, Michigan AM talk radio station broadcasting on 1320 kHz, offering locally programmed morning shows, syndicated national talk personalities, Fox News updates every half hour, local news coverage of Lansing/Mid-Michigan, and on-demand podcasts (The WILS Morning Wake-Up, The Capital City Recap, Behind the Mitten, Mid Michigan Pet Expert Talk Show, Total Michigan, Frontlines of Freedom). Revenue is generated through the sale of advertising spots to local Mid-Michigan businesses.
Is WILS a public or private company?
WILS is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was WILS founded?
WILS was founded in 1947. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WILS based?
WILS is headquartered in Lansing, United States, in the North America region.
How does WILS make money?
One revenue line is on record: radio Advertising.
Who are WILS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WTKG (1230 AM, Grand Rapids), WOOD Radio (1300 AM / 106.9 FM, Grand Rapids), WJR (760 AM, Detroit) and MacDonald Broadcasting Company. Broad incumbents are iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media, Townsquare Media, Audacy and Saga Communications. WTAM (1100 AM, Cleveland) is listed as a regional player.
Does WILS have an API?
No public API is recorded for WILS.
What industry is WILS in?
WILS's product category is Talk Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAC, Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains), with a secondary code of MPABACAF, Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.