WYPR

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.

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

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

• Public radio broadcasting
• NPR member station
• Local journalism
• Community-supported radio
• Original podcast production

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Corporate Underwriting: Sponsorships and underwriting from corporations seeking to support public radio while gaining on-air recognition. Includes Legacy Society planned giving program.
3. NPR+ Podcast Bundle: Premium podcast subscription bundle offering additional content to supporters.
4. 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

Core 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

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GeoBroadcast Solutions (GBS)coreTechnology or Integration · 17 November 2025WYPR 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.
• NPRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWYPR 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 MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for distribution of American Public Media content on WYPR stations.
• PRX (Public Radio Exchange)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPRX partnership for public radio content distribution and podcast licensing.
• Baltimore HeritageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Baltimore Heritage organization to produce the 'Five Minutes of Baltimore History' feature and podcast, bringing local historical content to audiences.
• Charles TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltimore's historic Charles Theatre is the venue for New/Next Film Festival, hosting 150+ films annually.
• WTMD 89.7 FMcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBaltimore Public Media music station for total music discovery; sister station to WYPR under same organizational umbrella.
• Your Public StudioscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBaltimore Public Media podcast production and distribution arm producing acclaimed local podcasts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/WYPR881FMBaltimore
• Facebookfacebook.com/WYPR881FM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wypr
• Instagraminstagram.com/wypr881fm/?hl=en
• Xx.com/WYPR881FM

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries3 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 WYPR