WSHU
WSHU is a non-profit public radio station owned by Sacred Heart University, broadcasting news, talk, and classical music to Connecticut and Long Island via 91.1 FM and nine translators, supported by listener memberships, underwriting, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersFairfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WSHU does
WSHU is a non-profit public radio station founded in 1987, owned and operated by Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. The station broadcasts news, talk, and classical music programming across Connecticut and Long Island, New York via its primary 91.1 FM signal plus nine FCC-licensed FM translator stations extending coverage to Stamford, Northford, Danbury, Westport, Derby, Huntington Station, Selden, Ridge, and Noyack. The core product is the broadcast radio signal, supplemented by online streaming (News/Music, News/Talk, and All Classical streams) and an extensive portfolio of approximately ten original podcasts including After All Things (daily news), Sunday Baroque Conversations, Long Story Short (in partnership with CT Mirror), Higher Ground (climate), Off the Path, Good at Heart, Still Newtown, Baum on Books, Birdsong Break, and David Bouchier: A Few Well Chosen Words, with special series including The Making of U.S. and America 250 — The American Experience.
WSHU's programming reach extends nationally through distribution partnerships with American Public Media and NPR, with flagship programs such as Sunday Baroque — originated on WSHU by founder Suzanne Bona in 1987 — syndicated across the U.S. public radio system, and Higher Ground and The Making of U.S. distributed nationally by American Public Media. The station also broadcasts Carnegie Hall Live performances, classical music programming hosted by Emily Boyer weekdays 9 a.m.–1 p.m., and local news coverage of Connecticut and Long Island. Content infrastructure is traditional broadcast plus modern podcast platform distribution (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, RSS).
The business model is membership-supported public media rather than commercial broadcasting. Revenue streams include individual memberships (including sustaining memberships and one-time donations), corporate underwriting (via a media kit at mediakit.wshu.org), foundation/grant support (Alan Alda Center, Kavli Foundation, among others), planned giving and legacy gifts through the WSHU Beacon Society transformational giving program, IRA charitable distributions, vehicle and real estate donations, employer matching gifts, and a branded merchandise shop. Historically supplemented by Corporation for Public Broadcasting federal grants, this funding was permanently eliminated in 2024, materially altering the station's revenue base and increasing reliance on listener support and institutional backing from Sacred Heart University.
WSHU firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WSHU
- Legal name
- Sacred Heart University, Incorporated
- Website
- https://wshu.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WSHU is a non-profit public radio station owned by Sacred Heart University, broadcasting news, talk, and classical music to Connecticut and Long Island via 91.1 FM and nine translators, supported by listener memberships, underwriting, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WSHU industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)
Keywords
Where WSHU is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
WSHU business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Membership/Donations: Listener-supported funding through membership contributions, sustaining memberships, and one-time donations. The station conducts regular pledge drives and offers membership benefits.
- Corporate Sponsorship/Underwriting: Corporate sponsorships and program underwriting from businesses, with a media kit available for potential sponsors (mediakit.wshu.org).
- CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) Funding: Federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The station recently noted that federal funding was permanently stripped away, creating increased reliance on individual support.
- Foundation/Grant Support: Support from foundations including the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and the Kavli Foundation for specific programs like Higher Ground.
- Planned Giving/Legacy Gifts: Estate planning donations, IRA charitable distributions, and directed gifts through the WSHU Beacon Society transformational giving program.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
WSHU product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WSHU is a non-profit public radio station licensed to and operated by Sacred Heart University, broadcasting a news/talk format and classical music programming to Connecticut and Long Island, New York. The station produces locally originated news, cultural, and classical music content delivered via FM/AM radio, online streaming, and podcast platforms, while also serving as the originating station for the nationally syndicated Sunday Baroque program and distributing nationally distributed programs from American Public Media.
Product overview
WSHU Public Radio is a multi-platform public media organization operated by Sacred Heart University, offering a unified portfolio of broadcast radio, streaming audio, and podcast content. The core product is the broadcast radio station (91.1 FM, 107.5 FM, and AM) airing news, talk, and classical music programming. This core is augmented by the WSHU Music Stream for all-classical streaming, and an extensive portfolio of named podcasts including After All Things (daily news), Sunday Baroque Conversations, Long Story Short (public policy), Higher Ground (climate), Off the Path (storytelling), Classical Music with Emily Boyer, and special series like The Making of U.S. and America 250. Content is distributed through broadcast, online streaming, and major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. The WSHU portfolio provides news and cultural content serving Connecticut and Long Island communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sunday Baroque: A nationally syndicated weekly radio show of Baroque and early music, originated on WSHU in 1987 and hosted by Suzanne Bona.
- Higher Ground
- Long Story Short
- Off the Path
- After All Things
Products and services
- WSHU Public Radio Station (WWSH 91.7 FM / WSHU 1260 AM)
- Sunday Baroque
Quantifiable outcome
- Nationally distributed programming through American Public Media
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use WSHU
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WSHU technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
WSHU partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NPR (National Public Radio)coreWSHU is affiliated with NPR, receiving national news content and participating in the public radio network for content sharing and distribution. The NPR logo appears on WSHU's website footer indicating the partnership.
- American Public MediacoreWSHU partners with American Public Media for national distribution of special programming. Higher Ground climate podcast and The Making of U.S. series were nationally distributed by APM.
- PRX (Public Radio Exchange)minorPRX logo appears on WSHU website indicating content exchange and distribution relationship within the public radio ecosystem.
- BBCminorBBC logo appears on WSHU website, indicating content relationship or programming exchange.
- CT MirrorcoreCollaborative journalism partnership producing Long Story Short podcast, which goes behind the scenes of CT Mirror's long-form Sunday feature stories. WSHU's Ebong Udoma interviews CT Mirror journalists weekly.
- Sacred Heart UniversitycoreWSHU is owned and operated by Sacred Heart University. The university holds all FCC licenses for broadcast stations. Located at 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT.
- Carnegie HallcoreWSHU broadcasts Carnegie Hall Live performances, Saturdays at 2 p.m., providing world-class classical music content to listeners.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WSHU competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WFUV: Fordham University-owned public radio station offering news/talk and AAA music programming from the New York metro area; directly comparable as a university-licensed, listener-supported public radio station with a similar staff scale.
- WBGO: Newark, NJ-based public radio station specializing in jazz and news; comparable as a mid-sized NPR-affiliated public radio station in the Northeast with a niche specialty and listener-supported model.
- WNYC (New York Public Radio): New York's flagship public radio station, an NPR member producing national programming, podcasts, and classical/News & Talk streams that competes with WSHU for Long Island listeners and shares the same NPR/APM ecosystem for content distribution.
- Connecticut Public (WNPR): Connecticut's statewide NPR affiliate based in Hartford, operating a similar public radio news/talk and classical format and competing directly with WSHU for listeners, donors, and corporate underwriters across Connecticut.
- WQXR: New York's classical music public radio station owned by New York Public Radio; directly comparable to WSHU's all-classical stream and Sunday Baroque for classical listeners in the overlapping CT/Long Island/NYC market.
Regional players
- NHPR (New Hampshire Public Radio): New Hampshire's statewide NPR member station producing news, talk, and classical programming; comparable in scale, format mix, and reliance on listener support, though it serves a different New England geography.
- WYPR: Baltimore-based NPR member station with a similar news/talk and classical mix, listener-supported funding, and podcast portfolio; comparable in station scale, programming breadth, and reliance on community funding.
Broad incumbents
- WGBH (GBH News): Boston's public media organization operating NPR-affiliated news and classical music services (WCRB); comparable as a multi-format public broadcaster with regional news, classical, and podcast offerings in the broader Northeast.
- WETA: Washington, D.C.-area public broadcaster operating classical and news/talk radio services; comparable as an established public radio operator with classical programming, news content, and institutional backing producing nationally distributed content.
- WBUR: Boston's primary NPR news station, operating a larger newsroom and nationally distributed programming; comparable as an NPR member station with a public radio news/talk and digital-first podcast strategy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WSHU social profiles
Digital presenceWSHU financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WSHU leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
WSHU funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WSHU 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 WSHU
What does WSHU do?
WSHU is a non-profit public radio station licensed to and operated by Sacred Heart University, broadcasting a news/talk format and classical music programming to Connecticut and Long Island, New York. The station produces locally originated news, cultural, and classical music content delivered via FM/AM radio, online streaming, and podcast platforms, while also serving as the originating station for the nationally syndicated Sunday Baroque program and distributing nationally distributed programs from American Public Media.
Is WSHU a public or private company?
WSHU is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was WSHU founded?
WSHU was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WSHU based?
WSHU is headquartered in Fairfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does WSHU make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Membership/Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship/Underwriting, CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) Funding, foundation/Grant Support and planned Giving/Legacy Gifts.
Who are WSHU's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WFUV, WBGO, WNYC (New York Public Radio), Connecticut Public (WNPR) and WQXR. Regional players are NHPR (New Hampshire Public Radio) and WYPR. Broad incumbents are WGBH (GBH News), WETA and WBUR.
Does WSHU have an API?
No public API is recorded for WSHU.
What industry is WSHU in?
WSHU's product category is Public Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPABADAB, National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.