88.5 WJIE
88.5 WJIE is a non-commercial, listener-supported Christian radio station broadcasting contemporary Christian music, worship, and community programming at 88.5 FM to families in the greater Louisville, Kentucky area, funded by donations, underwriting, and live events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLouisville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 88.5 WJIE does
88.5 WJIE is a non-commercial, listener-supported Christian radio station broadcasting at 88.5 FM in the greater Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area. Founded in 1995 and operated under parent nonprofit JIE Media, the station delivers 24/7 contemporary Christian music programming (featuring artists such as MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Lauren Daigle, and Jeremy Camp), worship content, and faith-based messaging to local Christian listeners and families. Its core product is the radio broadcast, augmented by digital streaming through wjie.org and a free mobile application on iOS and Android built on the BuildFire platform.
The station monetizes through four distinct streams: recurring and one-time listener donations, business underwriting acknowledgments from local churches, schools, and SMBs, ticket sales for live events (notably the annual Summer Concert Series at The Grove Amphitheater and a MercyMe LIVE show scheduled for November 13, 2026 at the KFC Yum! Center), and fundraiser product sales such as the 2026 Big X Sports Radio Golf Card. Distribution spans over-the-air FM, web streaming, mobile app, and in-person community events including Story Nights worship gatherings. Supporting infrastructure is a single studio at 3728 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville, KY, with website and digital services outsourced to Louisville-based agency Hatfield Media.
The go-to-market motion is community-led: the station grows and retains supporters through local church and ministry partnerships (Evangel World Prayer Center, The Lord's Kitchen, BesideU for Life Pregnancy Center), signature events, and a Word Media Tuition Discount Program that connects listener families to Christian schools and learning centers. Headcount is 11-50, the organization is private and nonprofit, and there is no disclosed funding, M&A, or revenue data.
88.5 WJIE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 88.5 WJIE
- Legal name
- 88.5 WJIE
- Website
- https://wjie.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 88.5 WJIE is a non-commercial, listener-supported Christian radio station broadcasting contemporary Christian music, worship, and community programming at 88.5 FM to families in the greater Louisville, Kentucky area, funded by donations, underwriting, and live events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
88.5 WJIE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Religious/Faith-Based Stations (MPABACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)
Keywords
Where 88.5 WJIE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Louisville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
88.5 WJIE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Listener Donations: Monthly and one-time donations from listeners supported by the station's mission to proclaim the Gospel and serve the Christian community in Louisville.
- Business Underwriting: Local businesses pay for underwriting acknowledgments on air. Underwriters include churches, schools, service businesses, and healthcare providers in the Louisville area.
- Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from concert events including the Summer Concert Series at The Grove Amphitheater and larger venue events like KFC Yum! Center shows.
- Golf Card Sales: Sale of the Big X Sports Radio Golf Card offering free play at participating golf courses across the region.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Donation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-Time Donation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Concert Series Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | 2026 Big X Sports Radio Golf Card |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
88.5 WJIE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
88.5 WJIE is a listener-supported, non-commercial Christian radio station that broadcasts uplifting contemporary Christian music, worship content, and faith-based messages to the greater Louisville, Kentucky community. The station operates 24/7 over the 88.5 FM frequency, complemented by digital streaming through its website and mobile applications, and extends its ministry through community events, concerts, and ministry partnerships.
Product overview
88.5 WJIE is a listener-supported, non-commercial Christian radio station offering a unified core product centered on faith-based radio broadcasting. The station delivers uplifting Christian music, worship programming, and spiritual encouragement to the Louisville community. Beyond the main radio broadcast, the station extends its reach through a mobile app for iOS and Android, enabling on-the-go listening. The WJIE Media ecosystem includes community engagement initiatives such as Story Nights (worship and prayer gatherings), the Summer Concert Series (annual outdoor Christian music concerts), and special live events like MercyME LIVE. Additional offerings include the Prayer Wall for spiritual support, the Tuition Discount Program in partnership with Christian schools, and seasonal fundraisers like the Golf Card. The station also provides community support through partnerships with local ministries and charitable programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 88.5 WJIE Radio (Main Station) A listener-supported, non-commercial Christian radio station that broadcasts uplifting Christian music, worship programs, and faith-based messages 24/7 over 88.5 FM, serving the Louisville, Kentucky community with CCM artists and spiritual content.
- WJIE Media App (Mobile Application)
- Story Nights Free community gatherings featuring acoustic worship, guided prayer, and personal testimonies designed to create authentic space for faith connection and community engagement, open to everyone regardless of background or church affiliation.
- Summer Concert Series Annual ticketed outdoor concert series at The Grove Amphitheater featuring Christian music artists including Hush Harbor, Jordan St. Cyr, and Southern Gospel performers, with three concerts held each summer.
- 2026 Big X Sports Radio Golf Card Fundraiser golf card offering one free 18-hole play with cart at each participating golf course, valid at Christmas Lake, Elk Run, Old Capital, Park Mammoth, Valley View, and Wooded View courses.
Companies that use 88.5 WJIE
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
88.5 WJIE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
88.5 WJIE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hatfield MediacoreHatfield Media is the Louisville-based digital marketing agency that developed and maintains the wjie.org website. They provide web design, hosting, digital marketing, SEO, video production, and live streaming services for the station.
- The Grove AmphitheatercoreVenue partner for the annual Summer Concert Series. WJIE hosts three major concerts at this outdoor amphitheater location each summer, with food provided by The Lord's Kitchen as Premier Sponsor.
- The Lord's KitchenminorPremier Sponsor of the Summer Concert Series providing food service at events. The station also partners with Lord's Kitchen for annual Coat Drive for kids and Thanksgiving Food Basket Give Away.
- Evangel World Prayer CenterminorChurch venue partner that hosts Story Night community events. Located at 6900 Billtown Road in Louisville.
- BesideU for Life Pregnancy CenterminorLocal ministry partner for community outreach initiatives. Formerly known as A Woman's Choice and Necole's Place.
- Beth Haven Christian SchoolminorPartner in the Word Media Tuition Discount Program offering vouchers worth $5,600-$6,950 to families for tuition discounts at the school.
- Cornerstone Christian AcademyminorPartner in the Word Media Tuition Discount Program offering $5,750-$5,950 tuition vouchers for families in Shelbyville area.
- LearningRx Louisville SpringhurstminorPartner offering discounted brain training programs ($3,989.30 for 12-week program valued at $5,699) to WJIE listener families through the Tuition Discount Program.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
88.5 WJIE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EWTN Radio: EWTN Global Catholic Network operates Catholic talk and devotional radio programming funded through donations, comparable to WJIE's listener-supported ministry model, but broadcasting Catholic rather than evangelical content nationally.
- Relevant Radio: Relevant Radio is a non-commercial Catholic talk and music radio network funded primarily by listener donations, comparable to WJIE as a faith-based listener-supported broadcaster, though focused on Catholic rather than evangelical content.
- Salem Media Group: Salem Media Group is a publicly traded commercial radio operator with a large portfolio of Christian and conservative-talk stations, overlapping with WJIE in faith-based radio but operating at a national, for-profit scale.
Direct peers
- K-LOVE (Educational Media Foundation): Operated by the Educational Media Foundation, K-LOVE is the largest non-commercial contemporary Christian music radio network in the US, broadcasting the same format (MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Lauren Daigle) and listener-supported model as 88.5 WJIE, but at national scale.
- Way-FM Media Group: Way-FM is a network of non-commercial Christian music radio stations funded by listener donations, directly comparable to WJIE in format, mission, and revenue model.
- Bott Radio Network: Bott Radio Network is a listener-supported Christian teaching and music radio network with overlapping mission, funding model, and faith-based audience as 88.5 WJIE.
- Moody Radio: Moody Radio is the non-commercial, donor-supported broadcasting arm of Moody Bible Institute, airing Christian music and teaching programming in the same listener-supported ministry model as WJIE.
- Family Life Radio: Family Life Radio is a non-commercial, listener-supported network airing contemporary Christian music and family-friendly content, comparable to WJIE's programming focus and funding model.
- Air1 (Educational Media Foundation): Air1 is the sister network to K-LOVE under the Educational Media Foundation, airing contemporary Christian music with the same listener-supported nonprofit model and overlapping artist roster as WJIE.
- American Family Radio: American Family Radio is a non-commercial Christian music and talk network operated by the American Family Association, directly comparable to WJIE on format, mission, and listener-supported funding.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
88.5 WJIE social profiles
Digital presence88.5 WJIE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
88.5 WJIE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
88.5 WJIE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
88.5 WJIE 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 88.5 WJIE
What does 88.5 WJIE do?
88.5 WJIE is a listener-supported, non-commercial Christian radio station that broadcasts uplifting contemporary Christian music, worship content, and faith-based messages to the greater Louisville, Kentucky community. The station operates 24/7 over the 88.5 FM frequency, complemented by digital streaming through its website and mobile applications, and extends its ministry through community events, concerts, and ministry partnerships.
Is 88.5 WJIE a public or private company?
88.5 WJIE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 88.5 WJIE founded?
88.5 WJIE was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 88.5 WJIE based?
88.5 WJIE is headquartered in Louisville, United States, in the North America region.
How does 88.5 WJIE make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Listener Donations are the primary driver. The others are business Underwriting, event Ticket Sales and golf Card Sales.
Who are 88.5 WJIE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EWTN Radio, Relevant Radio and Salem Media Group. Direct peers are K-LOVE (Educational Media Foundation), Way-FM Media Group, Bott Radio Network, Moody Radio, Family Life Radio, Air1 (Educational Media Foundation) and American Family Radio.
Does 88.5 WJIE have an API?
No public API is recorded for 88.5 WJIE.
What industry is 88.5 WJIE in?
88.5 WJIE's product category is Religious Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAL, Local Religious/Faith-Based Stations, with a secondary code of MPABALAN, Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting. Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.