13 On Your Side

What 13 On Your Side does

13 On Your Side (legal name: WZZM-TV) is a local broadcast television station serving the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and broader West Michigan region, including Muskegon, Holland, and surrounding communities. The station produces and distributes local news, weather forecasting, sports coverage, health reporting, and community-interest programming through broadcast television, a multi-platform digital footprint (wzzm13.com website, iOS/Android mobile applications, YouTube channel, live streaming), email newsletters, and social media channels. Its product portfolio spans core news broadcasting, branded weather services with interactive radar and severe weather alerts, a consumer advocacy program called the 13 Help Team (accessible via phone, email, and a dedicated mobile app), and a portfolio of community sub-brands including Something Special, One Good Thing, More Than a Number, 13 Reads, and 13 Loves Pets.

The underlying technology combines traditional over-the-air broadcast (channel 13) with cable/satellite distribution, internet streaming, push-notification mobile apps, and SMS-based weather text alerts. The station is owned and operated by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), a publicly traded media conglomerate that provides corporate-level technology infrastructure, content syndication, and advertising technology across its station portfolio. The station maintains a partnership with the Locked On Podcast Network for sports content distribution.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through advertising across four streams: traditional broadcast television commercial spots, digital advertising on wzzm13.com and the mobile app, sponsored native content placements through a section called The Exchange, and pre/mid-roll advertising on streaming and YouTube content. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The station sells advertising to a diverse base of regional advertisers including healthcare systems (Corewell Health, Bronson Healthcare), retailers (Meijer), financial institutions (Northpointe Bank), sports franchises (West Michigan Whitecaps), tourism operators (SS Badger, Shanty Creek), cultural institutions (Muskegon Museum of Art, Kent District Library), and various local nonprofits. Contracts tend to be multi-year, and go-to-market is direct sales-led, targeting both SMBs and enterprise advertisers in the West Michigan geography.

Name

13 On Your Side

Legal name

WZZM-TV

Website

https://wzzm13.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

13 On Your Side (WZZM-TV) is a TEGNA-owned local broadcast television station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, producing local news, weather, sports, and community content distributed via broadcast TV, website, mobile apps, and streaming for West Michigan consumers and regional advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Broadcast Television

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Local TV Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Network-Affiliated Local TV Stations (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/CW/Telemundo/Univision, etc.) (MPABACAE), News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)

Keywords

• Local broadcast television
• Television advertising sales
• Weather forecasting services
• Local news publishing
• Community journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Television Advertising: Traditional broadcast television advertising sales including commercial spots during news programming, sports coverage, and entertainment content. Advertisers include local businesses, healthcare providers, and regional brands.
2. Sponsored Content / The Exchange: Native sponsored content sections featuring regional businesses and tourism partners including Whitecaps, Meijer, local museums, and tourism destinations. Content marketed as 'The Exchange' section.
3. Digital Advertising: Digital ad placements on wzzm13.com website, mobile app, and email newsletter sponsorship opportunities.
4. Streaming/Over-the-Top (OTT): Content streaming via watch live functionality and YouTube channel, potentially monetized through pre-roll and mid-roll advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

13 On Your Side (WZZM-TV) is a local broadcast television station that produces and distributes local news, weather, sports, and community-interest programming for the Grand Rapids and West Michigan market. Its core commercial offering is the sale of advertising inventory across broadcast television, the wzzm13.com website, mobile applications, email newsletters, live streaming, and a sponsored content section called The Exchange.

Product overview

13 ON YOUR SIDE (WZZM) is a local television news station based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, operating as part of the TEGNA media network. The station operates as a single unified platform combining broadcast television and digital media, with its core offering being local news broadcasting. The digital portfolio centers on the wzzm13.com website as the primary news platform, complemented by a mobile app for on-demand content access, comprehensive weather services including radar maps and forecasts, live streaming capabilities for broadcast programs, and a Help Team consumer advocacy service. The station also maintains numerous branded community initiatives including Something Special (human interest stories), One Good Thing (positive community stories), More Than a Number (victim advocacy), 13 Reads (literacy), 13 Loves Pets (animal welfare), and The Exchange (sponsored local business content). Sports coverage includes partnerships with the Locked On Podcast Network. The station serves the West Michigan region including Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Holland, and surrounding communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Website (wzzm13.com) The primary digital news platform delivering local Grand Rapids news, weather, sports, and community content via web browser, integrating all station content including breaking news, feature stories, and video content.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Mobile App Mobile application allowing users to stay up to date with news, access local content, and receive notifications. Users can download the app to access station content on demand on iOS and Android.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Weather Services Comprehensive weather coverage including hourly forecasts, 10-day forecasts, interactive radar maps, severe weather alerts, beach and boating forecasts for Lake Michigan, and real-time tower camera feeds from multiple regional airports.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Watch Live Streaming Live streaming service allowing viewers to watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE broadcasts online, including news programs such as '13 ON YOUR SIDE Late Night', 'News at 5 and 6', and 'News at Noon'.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Help Team Consumer Advocacy Service Consumer advocacy program dedicated to helping viewers resolve issues, get refunds, and navigate problems with businesses and services. Contactable via phone (616) 559-1313 or email [email protected].
• Locked On Podcast Network (Sports Podcasts) Sports podcast network producing content covering local and national sports including NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, and golf, distributed alongside the station's sports coverage.
• The Exchange Sponsored Content Platform Sponsored content platform featuring local business promotions, community events, and advertiser partnerships distributed through The Exchange section of wzzm13.com.
• Something Special Human-Interest Storytelling Franchise Human-interest storytelling franchise featuring positive, heartwarming stories from the West Michigan community, published on wzzm13.com.
• One Good Thing Community Initiative Community-focused initiative highlighting positive stories and good deeds happening in West Michigan, published on wzzm13.com.
• More Than a Number Victim Advocacy Program Victim advocacy and support program providing resources for crime victims and their families, helping give faces to victims and voices to families.
• 13 Reads Literacy Initiative Literacy and reading initiative promoting reading programs and literacy in the West Michigan community.
• 13 Loves Pets Community Initiative Pet-focused initiative and community program supporting animal welfare causes in West Michigan.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Mornings Morning Show Programming Morning show programming featuring stories from the station's morning broadcast on WZZM-TV.
• 13 ON YOUR SIDE Weather Text Alerts Text message notification service delivering weather updates and severe weather alerts from the station's meteorology team directly to subscribers' mobile devices.
• Near Me User-Generated Content Platform User-generated content platform allowing community members to submit photos and videos of local weather, events, and newsworthy moments, and view community submissions.
• WZZM-TV Broadcast Television Advertising Traditional broadcast television advertising sales on WZZM-TV including commercial spots during news programming, sports coverage, and entertainment content, sold to local and regional advertisers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Help Team investigations returned over $230,000 to West Michigan community members

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TEGNA Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTEGNA Inc. is the parent company and corporate owner of WZZM-TV (13 On Your Side). TEGNA provides technology infrastructure, content syndication, advertising technology, and operational support across its portfolio of broadcast stations.
• Locked On Podcast NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocked On Podcast Network is referenced as a sports podcast partner, with team-specific podcasts linked from the station's sports section.
• Corewell HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGood to Go partnership with Corewell Health featuring health and wellness content. Corewell Health is a major regional healthcare provider.
• West Michigan WhitecapsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership with minor league baseball team featuring game promotions, events, and community coverage through The Exchange section.
• MeijerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLPGA tournament sponsorship and golf card promotional partnerships with regional retailer. Multiple sponsored content features about Meijer LPGA Classic.
• Muskegon Museum of ArtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership featuring art exhibitions and community programs through The Exchange section.
• Kent District Library (KDL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership featuring library summer programming and community events.
• Lake Michigan ferry operators (SS Badger)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content for Lake Michigan tourism featuring SS Badger car ferry experience.
• Shanty Creek ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content partnership for Northern Michigan tourism and resort activities.
• Northpointe BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content celebrating community milestones through America 250 initiative.
• Gilda's Club Grand RapidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaughFest comedy festival coverage partnership supporting cancer community programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Broad incumbents

• Gray Television: U.S. broadcast group owning a large portfolio of local TV stations. Comparable in operating model and competes for the same regional advertiser relationships and audience share in similar mid-market DMAs.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Largest U.S. owner of local TV stations, operating a portfolio of network-affiliated broadcast stations. Direct competitor for audience and ad share, and a potential acquirer / strategic counterparty in any future broadcast industry consolidation.
• Nexstar Media Group: Major U.S. owner of local TV stations and a direct competitor in broadcast advertising and audience reach. Highly relevant strategic counterparty given its announced agreement to acquire TEGNA Inc.

Direct peers

• KSDK (TEGNA, St. Louis): TEGNA-owned network-affiliated local TV station in a similar mid-major U.S. market. Closely comparable business model and operating structure given shared parent ownership.
• WXMI (FOX 17, Grand Rapids): FOX-affiliated local TV station serving the Grand Rapids DMA. Direct competitor across news, weather, sports, and digital channels targeting the same West Michigan audience and advertisers.
• WOOD-TV (NBC Affiliate, Grand Rapids): Direct local broadcast TV competitor in the Grand Rapids / West Michigan market. Operates as a network-affiliated local TV station with comparable news, weather, sports, and digital platforms targeting the same audience and same regional advertiser base.
• KARE-TV (TEGNA, Minneapolis): Sister TEGNA-owned local TV station operating under the same corporate parent. Most comparable in business model and operations given shared TEGNA infrastructure, technology stack, and multi-platform strategy.
• WFAA (TEGNA, Dallas): Another TEGNA-owned local broadcast station with comparable multi-platform news, weather, and community programming structure. Operates under identical corporate ownership and shared service model.
• WUSA (TEGNA, Washington D.C.): TEGNA-owned local TV station sharing the same corporate parent and multi-platform content distribution model. Highly comparable in operating structure and revenue mix.
• WWMT (CBS Affiliate, Kalamazoo / Grand Rapids): Network-affiliated local TV competitor operating in the broader West Michigan market. Competes directly for viewers, local news audience, and regional advertising spend with comparable broadcast + digital content offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/13ONYOURSIDE?sub_confirmation=1
• Xx.com/wzzm13

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 13 On Your Side