What WABE does

WABE is Atlanta's non-commercial public media organization, founded in 1948 and operating as the city's NPR/PBS affiliate. It distributes local journalism, arts and culture coverage, and national public-media programming across radio (90.1 FM news/talk and a secondary classical stream), broadcast television (WABE-TV), live streaming, iOS and Android mobile apps, smart-speaker skills, and major podcast platforms. The content portfolio spans signature local shows (Closer Look with Rose Scott, Political Breakfast, The Brief from WABE), award-winning podcasts (Buried Truths, 1912: The Forsyth County Expulsion, Health Wanted), co-produced originals (chefATL), and rotating investigative special-coverage series on topics including maternal health (Missing Moms), data-center development (Server South), and immigration detention (Detained in Georgia). Monthly reach exceeds 1M people across 34 Georgia counties.

WABE's business model is donation-and-membership driven rather than commercial. Approximately 90% of operating revenue historically comes from the Atlanta-area community through individual donations, sustaining-membership programs (including the Cornerstone Society), Passport (PBS on-demand) subscriptions, corporate underwriting/sponsorship, and live fundraising events such as the March 2026 'Acts for Facts' benefit concert. In 2026, congressional defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting eliminated $1.9M (13% of WABE's budget) in federal support, accelerating a transition to fully community-supported funding. The organization's structure is that of a non-profit governed by a Board of Directors, with revenue and audience engagement anchored in civic-mission positioning rather than subscription tiers or per-unit pricing.

Name

WABE

Legal name

WABE

Website

https://wabe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WABE is Atlanta's NPR/PBS-affiliated non-profit public media organization, distributing local journalism, arts, and culture programming across radio, TV, streaming, mobile, and podcasts to over 1M people monthly across 34 Georgia counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

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

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Audio Learning Content (Podcasts, Audiobooks, Listening Programs) (EDAGALAM), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• Public television programming
• NPR PBS affiliate
• Community journalism
• Educational media content

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Donations: Individual donations from listeners and viewers to support operations. The station transitioned to a fully community-supported funding model after losing federal funding.
2. Membership Programs: Sustaining member programs including Cornerstone Society for long-term donors, with benefits such as advanced event access, exclusive content, and member news emails.
3. Underwriting/Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship and underwriting opportunities for businesses to support programming in exchange for on-air recognition.
4. Passport Subscription: PBS on-demand subscription service allowing members to access exclusive content, similar to a streaming membership.
5. Benefit Events: Live fundraising events such as 'Acts for Facts' benefit event that raised $1.1 million, and travel programs like WABE Travels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WABE operates as Atlanta's NPR/PBS affiliate public media organization, broadcasting news, talk, music, and cultural programming on radio (90.1 FM and WABE Classics) and television (WABE-TV). It distributes on-demand audio via podcasts, live streaming, mobile applications, and smart speakers, and supplements national content with locally produced journalism, investigative series, and community events. Revenue is primarily generated through listener donations, sustaining memberships, corporate underwriting, and the Passport PBS on-demand membership benefit.

Product overview

WABE is Atlanta's public media organization operating as an NPR/PBS affiliate, offering a multi-platform media portfolio. The core offerings include radio broadcast (90.1 FM with news, talk, jazz and blues programming), television broadcast (PBS content plus WABE Originals), and an extensive podcast network. The organization operates on a membership/fundraising model where Passport (PBS on-demand access) serves as a premium membership benefit. Additional services include mobile applications for iOS and Android, email newsletters, and community events. WABE also produces investigative special coverage series such as Missing Moms (maternal health), Server South (data centers), Detained in Georgia (immigration), and legislative tracking. Content partnerships include PBS, NPR, BBC, PRX, and American Public Media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WABE 90.1: Primary radio station frequency broadcasting news and information programming.
• WABE Classics
• WABE TV

Products and services

• WABE Radio Broadcast Live radio broadcast on 90.1 FM featuring news, talk, cultural, jazz, and blues programming including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Closer Look with Rose Scott, and other locally produced shows, serving listeners across metro Atlanta and 34 Georgia counties.
• WABE Classics 24-hour classical music radio format broadcast on a secondary FM frequency for classical music enthusiasts in the Atlanta region.
• WABE-TV Broadcast Over-the-air television channel airing PBS programming such as PBS NewsHour, Frontline, and NOVA, alongside WABE Originals, Passport exclusives, and children's programming.
• WABE Podcast Network Portfolio of award-winning original podcasts including Buried Truths, Health Wanted, Political Breakfast, The Brief from WABE, and WABE's Week In Review, distributed via the WABE website and major podcast platforms.
• Passport (PBS On Demand) Paid membership benefit granting members on-demand streaming access to PBS shows and WABE original content through the PBS Passport platform.
• The Upside of Jazz Podcast Newly launched podcast hosted by Atlanta jazz pianist Joe Alterman exploring jazz as a living art form through music, storytelling, and cultural history.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches over 1 million people per month
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• NPR (National Public Radio)coreTechnology or IntegrationWABE is Atlanta's NPR affiliate, broadcasting NPR programming including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and contributing local stories to the national network.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreTechnology or IntegrationWABE is Atlanta's PBS affiliate, airing PBS programming on WABE-TV including NewsHour, Frontline, NOVA, and children's programming. Operates Passport subscription service for on-demand PBS content.
• BBC World ServicesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationWABE broadcasts BBC World Service news programming, providing international news coverage to Atlanta listeners.
• PRX (Public Radio Exchange)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationWABE participates in the PRX network for podcast distribution and content exchange with public radio stations.
• American Public MediasecondaryTechnology or IntegrationWABE partners with American Public Media for additional public radio content and programming.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KQED: San Francisco Bay Area NPR/PBS affiliate operating radio, TV, and digital platforms as a community-supported non-profit. Direct peer to WABE as a major-market, multi-platform public media organization reliant on listener/viewer donations and underwriting.
• WETA: Washington DC-area public broadcasting station (NPR/PBS affiliate) operating radio, TV, and digital services. Directly comparable to WABE as a community-supported major-market public media organization with emphasis on news, cultural programming, and educational content.
• KERA: Dallas-based public radio and television station (KERA-TV), NPR/PBS affiliate serving North Texas. Comparable to WABE as a community-supported public broadcaster combining local news, arts, and cultural programming with multi-platform distribution.
• WHYY: Philadelphia's NPR/PBS affiliate operating radio, TV, and digital platforms in the Delaware Valley. Directly comparable to WABE as a multi-platform community public media organization with original local journalism and educational programming.
• WGBH (GBH): Boston-based public media organization (NPR/PBS affiliate) with radio, TV, podcasting, and digital operations serving the New England region. Closely comparable to WABE as a large-market community-supported NPR/PBS member station with an award-winning journalism and original content portfolio.
• WBEZ Chicago: Chicago's NPR member station producing local news, talk programming, and podcasts. Directly comparable to WABE in audience scale, funding model (community donations), and emphasis on local investigative journalism and civic programming.
• LAist (formerly KPCC): Southern California Public Radio, NPR member station serving the Los Angeles metro with news, talk, and podcast programming. Comparable to WABE as a major-market public radio station with a strong local journalism mission and community funding model.
• WNYC Studios: New York City's flagship public radio station and podcast producer, NPR affiliate, operating across FM and digital platforms. Direct comparable to WABE in business model (membership/donor-supported), multi-platform distribution, and signature local news/talk programming.

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network that produces and distributes programming carried by WABE. While not a direct competitor, NPR is the broad incumbent ecosystem WABE operates within and depends on for flagship news content like Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

Others

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National public television network providing programming distributed by WABE-TV and the Passport on-demand platform. PBS is the broader incumbent in the public TV ecosystem and a critical content and technology partner for WABE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wabenews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WABEATL/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/wabenews
• Instagraminstagram.com/wabenews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 WABE