WSIU
WSIU Public Broadcasting is a member-supported non-profit NPR and PBS affiliate operated by Southern Illinois University Carbondale, delivering local news, radio, television, podcasts, and educational content to southern Illinois residents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersCarbondale, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WSIU does
WSIU Public Broadcasting is a member-supported, non-profit public media organization founded in 1958 and headquartered at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois. The station is owned and operated by SIU Carbondale as a government/state-affiliated entity and serves as both an NPR member station and a PBS affiliate, broadcasting across radio (FM 91.9 HD1, classical and news formats), television (PBS, Create TV, World Channel, PBS KIDS 24/7), live streaming, podcasts, and mobile applications.
Its core products include WSIU TV Broadcasting with locally produced shows such as CapitolView, Illinois Backroads, Scholastic Hi-Q, and InFocus; WSIU Radio Broadcasting featuring NPR news programming, classical music, and jazz; WSIU Podcasts (including WSIU Newscasts, The 21st Show, and Reading Baseball); the SIRIS accessibility radio service; and the PBS LearningMedia educational platform. Add-on services include PBS Passport extended streaming (for $60+/year or $5+/month members) and the NPR+ Podcast Bundle.
WSIU's revenue model is fundamentally donation- and membership-driven, with supplemental streams from corporate underwriting, recurring subscription tiers (PBS Passport, NPR+), and vehicle/property donations processed through the SIU Foundation. The go-to-market motion is community-led: the station relies on listener/viewer support, pledge drives, and community events, acquiring content through its NPR and PBS affiliations and distributing via broadcast radio, television, streaming platforms, and a mobile app across the southern Illinois region.
WSIU firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WSIU
- Legal name
- WSIU Public Broadcasting
- Website
- https://wsiu.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- WSIU Public Broadcasting is a member-supported non-profit NPR and PBS affiliate operated by Southern Illinois University Carbondale, delivering local news, radio, television, podcasts, and educational content to southern Illinois residents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WSIU industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Broadcasting Services
- NAICS
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- University/College-licensed Public Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)
Keywords
Where WSIU is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carbondale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WSIU business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Member Donations: Direct listener/viewer donations and membership support, the primary revenue source for public broadcasting
- Underwriting: Corporate sponsorships and underwriting messages from businesses
- PBS Passport Subscription: Annual streaming access to extended PBS video content for members contributing $60+ annually or $5+ monthly
- Vehicle and Property Donations: Vehicle donation program and real estate donation program for supporters
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | PBS Passport - Extended streaming access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
WSIU product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WSIU is a member-supported public media organization that operates NPR member radio and PBS-affiliate television broadcasting services out of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It delivers local and national news, classical music, jazz, educational programming, and community content via FM radio, TV broadcast, podcasts, and digital streaming platforms, supported by listener/viewer donations, underwriting, and the PBS Passport member benefit.
Product overview
WSIU is a member-supported public media organization affiliated with Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The organization operates as a unified multi-platform broadcasting operation offering TV and radio broadcasting services alongside digital products. The core offerings include WSIU TV Broadcasting (PBS programming with local shows), WSIU Radio Broadcasting (NPR news and classical music on FM 91.9), and WSIU Podcasts. Premium add-on services include PBS Passport for extended video streaming and NPR+ Podcast Bundle. Community-focused services include the Community Calendar, SIRIS accessibility services, PBS LearningMedia educational resources, and the WSIU Mobile App for cross-platform access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WSIU TV Broadcasting Television broadcasting service offering PBS programming, Create TV, World Channel, and PBS KIDS 24/7, including local shows such as CapitolView, Illinois Backroads, Scholastic Hi-Q, InFocus, and Exploring the Heartland, targeted at southern Illinois viewers.
- WSIU Radio Broadcasting Radio broadcasting service airing NPR news programs, classical music, jazz, and local news updates on FM 91.9 HD1, available to listeners in the southern Illinois region.
- WSIU Podcasts Audio podcast content including WSIU Newscasts, WSIU InFocus Radio News, The 21st Show, Reading Baseball, Simoncast, Radio Players Presents, In The Author's Voice, Inside the Blanket Fort, and WSIU Almanac.
- WSIU Local News Coverage In-depth local and regional news coverage including Illinois news, SIU news, politics, health, arts, business, sports, and science & technology reporting for southern Illinois audiences.
- PBS Passport Member-benefit video streaming service providing extended access to PBS video content, available with annual membership ($60+ one-time or $5+ monthly).
- SIRIS (Southern Illinois Radio Information Service) Radio reading service for individuals with print disabilities, providing audio access to reading materials and information across the southern Illinois region.
- PBS LearningMedia Educational resource platform for parents and educators featuring curriculum-aligned content from PBS, distributed in partnership with WSIU.
- Community Calendar Online calendar of community events in southern Illinois including arts, classes, fairs, festivals, fundraisers, kids and family activities, and nature events.
Companies that use WSIU
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
WSIU technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
WSIU partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NPR (National Public Radio)coreWSIU is an NPR member station, carrying NPR news programming including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and national news coverage.
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreWSIU carries PBS television programming including Create TV, World Channel, and PBS KIDS 24/7. Provides PBS Passport streaming access to members.
- Southern Illinois University (SIU)coreWSIU is operated by Southern Illinois University Carbondale as part of the university's community service and educational mission.
- Illinois Arts Council AgencyminorProvides funding and support for arts and cultural programming on WSIU.
- Collette (Travel Partner)minorWSIU TV partners with Collette travel for travel programming and content featuring destinations like Tuscany tours.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
WSIU competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WTTW (Chicago): Major PBS member station serving Chicago and the broader Illinois market. Comparable PBS affiliate with similar programming and underwriting model, but operates at materially larger scale.
- WILL (Illinois Public Media): University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's public broadcasting station carrying NPR and PBS programming. Highly comparable as a Big Ten university-licensed NPR/PBS affiliate operating TV, radio, and digital services in Illinois.
- WEIU (WEIU-TV / Eastern Illinois University Public Media): Eastern Illinois University-licensed PBS affiliate serving east-central Illinois. Closely comparable to WSIU as another small Illinois university-licensed public television station.
- WBEZ (Chicago Public Media): Chicago-based NPR member station producing flagship content like 'The 21st Show' (a show WSIU also carries). Closely comparable NPR affiliate serving an Illinois market with news, talk, and digital distribution.
- WUSI Public Broadcasting: Sister SIU System public broadcasting station licensed to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (formerly an SIU Carbondale property). Effectively a direct operating peer within the same university system.
- WVUT (Vincennes University): Vincennes University-licensed PBS affiliate serving southwestern Indiana. Comparable small, university-licensed PBS station in the broader rural Midwest public-media ecosystem.
- WTVP (Peoria Public Media): Community-licensed PBS station serving central Illinois. Comparable PBS affiliate operating radio/TV/digital services in Illinois with similar member-donation and underwriting revenue model.
Broad incumbents
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National PBS network that supplies WSIU's core television programming. Sets programming, distribution standards, and Passport framework that directly drive WSIU's TV business.
- NPR (National Public Radio): National NPR network that supplies WSIU's core radio programming. Network affiliation defines much of WSIU's radio schedule and audience proposition.
Regional players
- WGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University Public Media): University-licensed NPR/PBS affiliate in southwest Florida. Comparable university-affiliated public-media operation with similar multi-platform model, but serving a different geographic market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WSIU social profiles
Digital presenceWSIU financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WSIU leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
WSIU funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WSIU 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 WSIU
What does WSIU do?
WSIU is a member-supported public media organization that operates NPR member radio and PBS-affiliate television broadcasting services out of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It delivers local and national news, classical music, jazz, educational programming, and community content via FM radio, TV broadcast, podcasts, and digital streaming platforms, supported by listener/viewer donations, underwriting, and the PBS Passport member benefit.
Is WSIU a public or private company?
WSIU is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was WSIU founded?
WSIU was founded in 1958. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is WSIU based?
WSIU is headquartered in Carbondale, United States, in the North America region.
How does WSIU make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Member Donations are the primary driver. The others are underwriting, PBS Passport Subscription and vehicle and Property Donations.
Who are WSIU's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WTTW (Chicago), WILL (Illinois Public Media), WEIU (WEIU-TV / Eastern Illinois University Public Media), WBEZ (Chicago Public Media), WUSI Public Broadcasting, WVUT (Vincennes University) and WTVP (Peoria Public Media). Broad incumbents are PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio). WGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University Public Media) is listed as a regional player.
Does WSIU have an API?
No public API is recorded for WSIU.
What industry is WSIU in?
WSIU's product category is Public Broadcasting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAD, University/College-licensed Public Broadcasting (TV & Radio), with a secondary code of MPABADAB, National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style). Its NAICS code is 5161 and its SIC code is 4832.