WYPR
WYPR (Baltimore Public Media) is a Maryland-based nonprofit public radio network operating three FM stations in Baltimore, Frederick, and Ocean City, providing NPR news, original podcasts, and cultural programming funded by listener memberships, corporate underwriting, and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WYPR does
WYPR is a nonprofit public radio station network operating under Baltimore Public Media (BPM), a Maryland-based community licensee founded in 2002 and headquartered at 2216 N. Charles St., Baltimore. The network broadcasts across three FCC-licensed FM stations — WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore (the flagship NPR news station), WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick, and WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City — serving Maryland's Baltimore metro, Frederick County, and Eastern Shore/Ocean City markets. Beyond over-the-air broadcasting, the organization operates Your Public Studios as a podcast production and distribution arm, produces a portfolio of original podcasts including Cellar Notes, Radio Kitchen, The Stoop Storytelling Series, Pass the Mic, The Weekly Reader, On The Record, Maryland Curiosity Bureau, Know-It-All, and Thoughts on Tech & Things, and presents the annual New/Next Film Festival at the Charles Theatre.
The underlying technology stack is conventional broadcast media infrastructure: licensed FM transmitters augmented by GeoBroadcast Solutions' MaxxCasting single-frequency network technology (deployed November 2025 to extend signal coverage), digital streaming via wypr.org, and podcast distribution across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and RSS feeds. WYPR does not disclose proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML components. Organizational governance sits with a Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board; leadership includes President and General Manager Craig N. Swagler, Program Director Maxie C. Jackson III (appointed December 2025), and Chief of Content Danyell Irby.
Revenue is generated through a community-supported nonprofit model with four primary streams: individual listener memberships and recurring donations, corporate underwriting sponsorships, planned giving and vehicle donations, and premium content bundles including the NPR+ Podcast Bundle. The station supplements earned revenue with foundation grants (notably from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and William G. Baker Jr. Memorial Fund) and state arts funding (Maryland State Arts Council). Distribution spans broadcast radio, digital streaming, podcasts, email newsletters, social media (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn), and live events, reaching both a regional broadcast audience and a global podcast audience.
WYPR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WYPR
- Legal name
- Baltimore Public Media
- Website
- https://wypr.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- WYPR (Baltimore Public Media) is a Maryland-based nonprofit public radio network operating three FM stations in Baltimore, Frederick, and Ocean City, providing NPR news, original podcasts, and cultural programming funded by listener memberships, corporate underwriting, and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WYPR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- News/Talk Radio Networks (MPABABAD), Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)
Keywords
Where WYPR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WYPR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership and Donations: Individual listener support through membership programs, one-time donations, and direct debit contributions. The primary revenue source for this nonprofit public radio station.
- Corporate Underwriting: Sponsorships and underwriting from corporations seeking to support public radio while gaining on-air recognition. Includes Legacy Society planned giving program.
- NPR+ Podcast Bundle: Premium podcast subscription bundle offering additional content to supporters.
- Vehicle and Planned Giving: Vehicle donation program and legacy/planned giving options for major donors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
WYPR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WYPR is Baltimore's NPR News Station, operating a three-station FM radio network (Baltimore 88.1, Frederick 88.1, Ocean City 106.9) under nonprofit parent Baltimore Public Media. It delivers local and national news, cultural programming, music, and original podcasts, and hosts community events such as the annual New/Next Film Festival. Funding comes from listener memberships, corporate underwriting, donations, and the NPR+ podcast bundle.
Product overview
WYPR is a public radio station network operating under Baltimore Public Media (BPM), comprising three FM stations: WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore (NPR news station), WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick, and WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City. The organization offers radio broadcast programming alongside a portfolio of podcasts including Cellar Notes (wine reviews), Radio Kitchen (cooking), The Stoop Storytelling Series, Pass the Mic, The Weekly Reader (books), On The Record (news interviews), Maryland Curiosity Bureau (documentary), Know-It-All (film education), and Thoughts on Tech & Things (technology). Your Public Studios produces and distributes local podcasts. The network also presents the annual New/Next Film Festival. The offering operates as a platform-plus-content model where radio broadcasts serve as the core product, supplemented by digital podcasts, events, and community programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Thoughts on Tech & Things: Biweekly podcast exploring how emerging technologies reshape how we live, work, and connect, hosted by technologist and author Jason Michael Perry
- Your Public Studios
- New/Next Film Festival
- The Stoop Storytelling Series
- The Maryland Curiosity Bureau
Products and services
- WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore Baltimore's NPR News Station, broadcasting NPR national news alongside original local journalism, cultural programming, and public affairs to the Baltimore metropolitan area on 88.1 FM.
- WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick
Quantifiable outcome
- 16,000+ podcast downloads in first 30 days
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use WYPR
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WYPR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
WYPR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GeoBroadcast Solutions (GBS)coreWYPR partnered with GeoBroadcast Solutions to deploy MaxxCasting technology across its network of stations, including WYPR Baltimore and WYPF Frederick. This technology enables expanded signal coverage and improved reception quality for listeners in the greater Baltimore region.
- NPRcoreWYPR is Baltimore's NPR News Station, rebroadcasting NPR national news programming alongside original local reporting. The partnership provides access to NPR's national news content and correspondents.
- American Public MediaminorPartnership for distribution of American Public Media content on WYPR stations.
- PRX (Public Radio Exchange)minorPRX partnership for public radio content distribution and podcast licensing.
- Baltimore HeritageminorPartnership with Baltimore Heritage organization to produce the 'Five Minutes of Baltimore History' feature and podcast, bringing local historical content to audiences.
- Charles TheatrecoreBaltimore's historic Charles Theatre is the venue for New/Next Film Festival, hosting 150+ films annually.
- WTMD 89.7 FMcoreBaltimore Public Media music station for total music discovery; sister station to WYPR under same organizational umbrella.
- Your Public StudioscoreBaltimore Public Media podcast production and distribution arm producing acclaimed local podcasts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WYPR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WAMU 88.5: Washington DC NPR member station operated by American University, providing regional news, talk, and podcasts to the DMV. Direct comparable in size, format (news/talk), and NPR-affiliate nonprofit model serving an adjacent Mid-Atlantic market.
- WETA: DC-area public broadcasting organization operating NPR and PBS stations. Comparable as a Mid-Atlantic public radio operator with NPR affiliation and shared talent network with WYPR.
- KCRW: Santa Monica-based public radio station known for music discovery, cultural programming, and influential podcasts. Comparable as a nonprofit NPR member with strong events calendar and digital-first content strategy.
- WCPN ideastream: Cleveland-based public radio and multimedia organization with NPR membership. Comparable mid-size regional NPR affiliate running news/talk plus local podcasts and events.
- WHYY: Philadelphia-based NPR member station running FM radio plus a robust podcast portfolio and events. Comparable as a multi-platform public radio nonprofit with strong local journalism and cultural programming in the Northeast corridor.
- 88Nine Radio Milwaukee: Milwaukee public radio station where incoming WYPR Program Director Maxie C. Jackson III previously served as Executive Director. Direct operational peer in size, format, and nonprofit/NPR model.
Regional players
- WEAA 88.9 FM: Morgan State University public radio station serving Baltimore with news, jazz, and community programming. Local-market peer under same nonprofit/public-affairs broadcast model serving overlapping Baltimore audience.
- WBJC 91.5 FM: Baltimore-area public radio station operated by Baltimore City Community College, focused on classical music. Local-market comparable in geographic footprint and nonprofit broadcast model, though format differs.
Broad incumbents
- WNYC: New York's flagship public radio station with national podcasts (Radiolab, On the Media). Comparable as a major NPR-member nonprofit with deep podcast production, though larger and nationally influential.
- WGBH Boston: Boston's flagship public radio/TV operator with deep podcast production (e.g., PRI distribution). Larger comparable nonprofit broadcaster combining NPR content, original podcasts, and live events.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WYPR social profiles
Digital presenceWYPR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WYPR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
WYPR subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
WYPR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WYPR 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 WYPR
What does WYPR do?
WYPR is Baltimore's NPR News Station, operating a three-station FM radio network (Baltimore 88.1, Frederick 88.1, Ocean City 106.9) under nonprofit parent Baltimore Public Media. It delivers local and national news, cultural programming, music, and original podcasts, and hosts community events such as the annual New/Next Film Festival. Funding comes from listener memberships, corporate underwriting, donations, and the NPR+ podcast bundle.
Is WYPR a public or private company?
WYPR is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was WYPR founded?
WYPR was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is WYPR based?
WYPR is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does WYPR make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership and Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Underwriting, NPR+ Podcast Bundle and vehicle and Planned Giving.
Who are WYPR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WAMU 88.5, WETA, KCRW, WCPN ideastream, WHYY and 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. Regional players are WEAA 88.9 FM and WBJC 91.5 FM. Broad incumbents are WNYC and WGBH Boston.
Does WYPR have an API?
No public API is recorded for WYPR.
What industry is WYPR in?
WYPR's product category is Public Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAB, National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style), with a secondary code of MPABABAD, News/Talk Radio Networks. Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.