98 Rock Baltimore
98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a Hearst-owned mainstream rock radio station broadcasting from Baltimore since 1977, serving adult listeners and sports fans across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington DC with flagship coverage of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What 98 Rock Baltimore does
98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a mainstream rock radio station headquartered at 3800 Hooper Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, broadcasting on a 50,000-watt FM signal that reaches four states plus the District of Columbia. Founded in March 1977 and operating since under Hearst Stations Inc. as part of the Hearst Corporation media portfolio, the station programs modern and classic rock alongside flagship live sports coverage of the Baltimore Ravens (NFL) and Baltimore Orioles (MLB), with named on-air shows including Justin, Scott and Spiegel (weekday mornings 5-10AM), Amelia, Kirk and Marianne, Greg Beharrell, and Maryland Perspectives.
The station's technology stack pairs a legacy terrestrial broadcast (FM plus HD Radio) with a multi-platform digital footprint: internet streaming via 98online.com, native iOS and Android mobile apps, Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart speaker skills, podcast distribution on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play, and a Livewire live video stream of the morning show. The platform architecture is conventional broadcast plus standard OTT-style delivery, with no documented proprietary AI/ML components or developer-facing API.
The business model is advertising-supported. Revenue is generated through (1) on-air, online, and on-site advertising sales to Maryland businesses targeting an audience of 300,000+ weekly listeners with stated $5 billion in annual spending power, (2) event sponsorships including branded properties such as 98 Rock Night at Camden Yards, Ravens Gameday, and Live Nation-promoted concerts, and (3) sports team partnerships and promotional integrations with the Ravens and Orioles. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; media kits are available via the Hearst sales contact. Customer segments are Maryland regional advertisers (B2B) and adult listeners 18+ across the Mid-Atlantic (B2C), with a distinct sub-segment of Baltimore professional sports fans served through flagship rights.
98 Rock Baltimore firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 98 Rock Baltimore
- Legal name
- Hearst Stations Inc.
- Website
- https://98online.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a Hearst-owned mainstream rock radio station broadcasting from Baltimore since 1977, serving adult listeners and sports fans across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington DC with flagship coverage of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
98 Rock Baltimore industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Broadcast Radio
- 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
- Music Radio Networks (Format-Based) (MPABABAF), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)
Keywords
Where 98 Rock Baltimore is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
98 Rock Baltimore business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising Sales: Custom marketing and advertising campaigns sold to Maryland businesses targeting the station's audience of 300,000+ weekly listeners with $5 billion in annual spending power
- Event Sponsorships: On-air, online, and on-site engagement strategies for advertisers, including branded events such as 98 Rock Night at Camden Yards, Ravens Gameday, and concert promotions
- Sports Team Partnerships: Flagship radio broadcast rights and promotional partnerships with Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
98 Rock Baltimore product offering
Product offeringCore offering
98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a broadcast radio station operating a mainstream rock format from Baltimore, Maryland since March 1977. It produces on-air programming including daily shows, sports coverage of the Baltimore Ravens (NFL) and Baltimore Orioles (MLB) as their flagship station, and distributes content across FM radio, HD Radio, internet streaming, mobile apps, smart speakers, podcasts, and live video streaming. The station sells advertising and event sponsorship packages to Maryland businesses seeking access to its audience of more than 300,000 weekly listeners with $5 billion in annual spending power.
Product overview
98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a mainstream rock radio station owned by Hearst Television, broadcasting from Baltimore, Maryland since March 1977. The station's product portfolio consists of broadcast radio programming and digital content distribution. Core on-air programming includes daily shows: 'Justin, Scott and Spiegel' (weekday mornings 5 AM), 'Amelia,' 'Kirk and Marianne,' 'Greg Beharrell,' and 'Maryland Perspectives.' Digital products extend the broadcast including: web and mobile app streaming (Listen Live), a Livewire video streaming feature for morning show video content (5-10 AM weekdays), 98 Rock Podcasts (available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play), music news and music videos sections, and dedicated Baltimore Ravens and Orioles sports coverage. The station reaches over 300,000 weekly listeners across Maryland and surrounding states, distributing content via FM radio (97.9 FM with HD Radio support), the 98online.com website, native iOS/Android mobile apps, smart speakers (Alexa/Google Home), and social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) Broadcast Radio
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaches more than 300,000 listeners weekly
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use 98 Rock Baltimore
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
98 Rock Baltimore technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
98 Rock Baltimore partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Baltimore Ravenscore98 Rock Baltimore is the official flagship radio station for the Baltimore Ravens NFL franchise. The station broadcasts Ravens games and is closely tied in with the team's community activities and promotions throughout the city.
- Baltimore Oriolescore98 Rock Baltimore serves as the flagship radio station for the Baltimore Orioles MLB franchise. The station hosts promotional events at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, including annual 98 Rock Night events during Orioles games.
- Live NationmajorLive Nation serves as the event organizer for concerts and music events promoted on 98 Rock, including shows at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Jiffy Lube Live, and other major venues.
- RCM&DminorRCM&D is the powering sponsor of the Inisght ConneX AM events hosted by 98 Rock, featuring business and leadership content for the station's business audience.
- Hearst Corporationcore98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM) is owned by Hearst Stations Inc., part of the Hearst Corporation, a leading global diversified media, information and services company with more than 360 businesses including cable television networks, television stations, newspapers, magazines, and other media properties.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
98 Rock Baltimore competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SiriusXM: Satellite and streaming audio giant offering rock channels and full sports play-by-play nationally. Competes with 98 Rock for both listener attention and advertiser share-of-ear in audio.
- Cumulus Media: Large multi-format U.S. radio broadcaster with rock and sports stations across markets; comparable in operational model, audience monetization, and digital distribution strategy.
- WBAL-TV (Hearst Television): Sister Hearst Television property in Baltimore. Provides cross-promotional leverage and competes for overlapping Baltimore sports broadcast rights (Ravens, Orioles) and local advertising budgets.
- Audacy (formerly Entercom): Major U.S. radio operator with stations across multiple formats nationally; competes with 98 Rock in Mid-Atlantic digital streaming and podcast distribution, and operates competing flagship sports stations in other NFL/MLB markets.
Emerging players
- TuneIn: Streaming audio aggregator that distributes 98 Rock's stream and competing stations globally; competes for listener share on smart speakers and connected devices where 98 Rock also distributes.
Direct peers
- KQRS 92.5 FM Minneapolis: Iconic mainstream rock format station in another top-50 U.S. market, highly comparable to 98 Rock in heritage (decades on-air), format identity, and live-event-driven GTM.
- iHeartMedia Baltimore: Largest U.S. radio operator with multiple Baltimore-market stations (e.g., WIHT HOT 99.5, WPOC) competing directly for the same advertisers, listeners, and digital streaming share as 98 Rock.
- WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia: Long-running mainstream rock format station serving the Mid-Atlantic region, closely comparable to 98 Rock in format, audience demo, and multi-platform distribution approach.
- WBAL Radio 1090 AM: Hearst-owned news/talk radio station in Baltimore covering the same metropolitan market as 98 Rock. Operates within the same Hearst Stations Inc. portfolio and competes for the same Baltimore advertisers and sports broadcast rights.
Others
- WBAL NewsRadio / WIYY shared parent assets (Hearst Stations): Other Hearst-owned local radio and television properties sharing parent resources with 98 Rock; relevant as portfolio comparables for asset valuation and cross-promotion economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
98 Rock Baltimore social profiles
Digital presence98 Rock Baltimore compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
98 Rock Baltimore financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
98 Rock Baltimore leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
98 Rock Baltimore funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
98 Rock Baltimore 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 98 Rock Baltimore
What does 98 Rock Baltimore do?
98 Rock Baltimore (WIYY FM 97.9) is a broadcast radio station operating a mainstream rock format from Baltimore, Maryland since March 1977. It produces on-air programming including daily shows, sports coverage of the Baltimore Ravens (NFL) and Baltimore Orioles (MLB) as their flagship station, and distributes content across FM radio, HD Radio, internet streaming, mobile apps, smart speakers, podcasts, and live video streaming. The station sells advertising and event sponsorship packages to Maryland businesses seeking access to its audience of more than 300,000 weekly listeners with $5 billion in annual spending power.
Is 98 Rock Baltimore a public or private company?
98 Rock Baltimore is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 98 Rock Baltimore founded?
98 Rock Baltimore was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 98 Rock Baltimore based?
98 Rock Baltimore is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does 98 Rock Baltimore make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising Sales are the primary driver. The others are event Sponsorships and sports Team Partnerships.
Who are 98 Rock Baltimore's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SiriusXM, Cumulus Media, WBAL-TV (Hearst Television) and Audacy (formerly Entercom). TuneIn is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are KQRS 92.5 FM Minneapolis, iHeartMedia Baltimore, WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and WBAL Radio 1090 AM. WBAL NewsRadio / WIYY shared parent assets (Hearst Stations) is listed as an others.
Does 98 Rock Baltimore have an API?
No public API is recorded for 98 Rock Baltimore.
What industry is 98 Rock Baltimore in?
98 Rock Baltimore's product category is Broadcast Radio. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAC, Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains), with a secondary code of MPABABAF, Music Radio Networks (Format-Based). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.