103.9 The Fox

What 103.9 The Fox does

103.9 The Fox (legal entity WRSR – Krol Communications Inc.) is a classic rock-formatted FM radio station licensed to broadcast at 103.9 FM (call sign WRSR-FM) in Flint, Michigan, serving the Mid-Michigan region including Genesee and Shiawassee counties. The station delivers live and local programming seven days a week, including The Foxhole Morning Show (5am–10am), The Fox Workforce midday block with Steve Driver (10am–3pm), Afternoons with Mark Simons (3pm–7pm), and weekend specialty programming such as Buick City Blues and FOX Sunday Flashback. On-air talent includes personalities with decades of regional broadcasting tenure, and the station positions itself as Flint's only locally owned radio station. Content is distributed through FM broadcast, dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, a Lightning Stream web player, and an active Facebook presence, all powered by the SoCast digital platform.

The company's technology stack centers on the SoCast content management and streaming platform, which underpins the station's website (classicfox.com), online listening, and digital content delivery, supplemented by Surfer Network-based mobile app infrastructure. Supporting product features include Vehicle City Traffic (live commute reporting sponsored by Hurley Medical Center), FOX on the Run (remote broadcast/event programming), and FOX Big Deals (a digital deal platform partnership with BigDeals Media). No proprietary AI/ML capabilities are described; the stack is conventional broadcast-plus-web infrastructure.

Revenue is generated entirely through local and regional advertising sales and sponsored contest/programming features, with pricing handled on a quote-based, non-public basis via a dedicated sales contact. The advertiser base is geographically diversified across Flint and surrounding Mid-Michigan and spans multiple verticals — healthcare (Hurley Medical Center), QSR (Jersey Mike's), construction (Streeter Brothers), travel (Allegiant Airlines), and various small local businesses. Recurring contest-based monetization (Mad Money Summer, Fox Florida Flyaway, Workforce Office of the Week) supplements traditional spot ad sales, with sponsors funding prize pools in exchange for brand visibility across on-air, digital, and event channels.

Name

103.9 The Fox

Legal name

WRSR – Krol Communications Inc.

Website

https://classicfox.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

103.9 The Fox (WRSR-FM) is a privately owned classic rock radio station serving Flint, Michigan and surrounding Mid-Michigan communities. Operated by Krol Communications Inc., it monetizes local and regional advertising and sponsored contests via FM broadcast, mobile apps, and web streaming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)

Keywords

• Classic rock radio
• FM radio broadcasting
• Radio advertising sales
• Live audio streaming
• Local radio programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Flint

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising Sales: Local and regional businesses purchase advertising airtime on the radio station. Contact sales at [email protected] or 810-720-9510. The station explicitly states non-discrimination policy in advertising sales.
2. Contest and Sponsorship Revenue: Third-party sponsors fund contests and programming features in exchange for brand visibility. Examples include Streeter Brother's Concrete Contractors (Mad Money Summer), Allegiant Airlines (Fox Florida Flyaway), Jersey Mike's (Fox Workforce Office of the Week), and Hurley Medical Center (Vehicle City Traffic).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

103.9 The Fox (WRSR-FM) is a classic rock format radio station that broadcasts live and local programming seven days a week to the Flint, Michigan metropolitan area on the 103.9 FM frequency. The station sells advertising airtime and sponsorships to local and regional businesses, supported by contests, community events, mobile apps, and web streaming to extend its reach. Content is delivered through traditional FM broadcast, the Lightning Stream online player, and dedicated iOS/Android mobile applications.

Product overview

103.9 The Fox (WRSR-FM) is a classic rock radio station serving Flint, Michigan, operated by Krol Communications Inc. The station offers a unified broadcasting product centered on classic rock music programming, delivered through traditional FM radio, live streaming, and a mobile application. The core offering consists of live and local programming seven days a week, including morning drive (The Foxhole Morning Show), midday (The Fox Workforce with Steve Driver), afternoon drive (Mark Simons), and specialty weekend shows (FOX Rock Weekends). Supporting features include Vehicle City Traffic updates, the Fox Mobile App for iOS/Android, and various listener engagement contests such as Mad Money Summer and The Midday Munchie.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Foxhole Morning Show: Weekday morning radio show hosted by Johnny Burke and Steph Barber, airing 5am-10am
• Fox Rock Weekends
• Fox Workforce
• FOX on the Run
• Vehicle City Traffic

Products and services

• The Foxhole Morning Show

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Streeter Brother's Concrete Contractors of BurtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of The Mad Money Summer contest. Prize funding of $7,363.80 total awarded to listeners throughout Summer 2026. Contest runs June through August 2026 with weekly $103.90 prizes and monthly $1,103.90 grand prizes.
• Hurley Medical CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Vehicle City Traffic segment. Provides funding for traffic reporting that airs weekday mornings and afternoons with live updates throughout the morning commute and evening rush.
• Allegiant AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Fox Florida Flyaway contest. Provides trip for two to Florida for contest winners. Six total winners selected through weekly qualifier drawings.
• Jersey Mike'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Fox Workforce Office of the Week. Provides free lunch for up to 10 people at workplace winners' offices. Weekly contest on Fridays around 10:20am.
• SoCast DigitalcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology platform provider powering the station website, streaming capabilities, and digital content delivery. SoCast platform provides the infrastructure for online listening and website management.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Beasley Broadcast Group: Operates radio stations in mid-sized U.S. markets with a focus on local content and community engagement similar to 103.9 The Fox. Comparable in scale to small cluster operators and a useful peer for single-market revenue analysis.
• Midwest Communications: Privately held operator of local radio stations concentrated in the Midwest, including Michigan. Closest comparable in scale and geographic focus to 103.9 The Fox, operating classic rock, country, and news/talk formats in similar-sized markets.
• Saga Communications: Operates clusters of local FM and AM radio stations in mid-sized U.S. markets, several in the Midwest. Highly comparable operating model to a single-station local operator like 103.9 The Fox, with similar revenue mix of local advertising and digital extensions.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio operator with hundreds of stations across all major and mid-sized markets, including Michigan. Competes directly with 103.9 The Fox for local ad dollars in Flint-adjacent markets and offers the iHeartRadio digital platform as a parallel streaming channel.
• Audacy (formerly Entercom): Major U.S. radio operator with stations in large and mid-sized markets and a national digital audio platform. Comparable to 103.9 The Fox in broadcast model and advertiser base, though with multi-market scale and a national streaming/sports partnership footprint.
• Cumulus Media: Second-largest U.S. radio broadcaster operating stations across mid-sized markets including the Midwest. Competes for local ad budgets and on-air talent with comparable format-driven strategies; Westwood One network affiliation provides national advertising optionality unavailable to single-station operators.
• Salem Communications: Operates radio stations across the U.S. including Midwest markets, primarily in news/talk and Christian formats. Less of a direct format competitor but highly comparable in mid-market broadcasting economics, local ad dependence, and digital distribution strategy.
• Townsquare Media: Multi-station operator with significant presence in mid-sized U.S. markets including Michigan. Operates local radio clusters with similar classic rock, news/talk, and country formats, making it directly comparable in operating model and target advertisers, though at far greater scale.

Emerging players

• iHeartRadio: Digital streaming platform spun from iHeartMedia that offers free live radio streaming, podcasts, and playlists. Competes with The Fox's Lightning Stream and mobile app for online listener attention, particularly among younger and out-of-market audiences.

Others

• Cumulus Media Networks / Westwood One: National radio network and syndication arm that distributes content to local stations. Relevant as the ecosystem of syndicated programming that competes with or complements The Fox's live-and-local strategy; also a potential content/distribution partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1039ClassicFox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 103.9 The Fox