WURD Radio

What WURD Radio does

WURD Radio is a Philadelphia-based, African-American owned and operated talk radio station operating on 900AM and 96.1FM under FCC license, founded in 2002 by physician-entrepreneur Dr. Walter P. Lomax, Jr. and now led by his daughter Sara M. Lomax as President & CEO. It is the only independently African-American owned talk radio station in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and one of only a handful remaining in the United States. The station's core product is a daily AM/FM talk lineup targeting African American Adults 25+ in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, with marquee programming including Wake Up With WURD (Solomon Jones), Keepin' It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton, The Tavis Smiley Show, Evening WURDs (Dr. James Peterson), and Cafe Mocha (Loni Love, Yo-Yo, Angelique Perrin).

Name

WURD Radio

Legal name

WURD Radio, LLC

Website

https://wurdradio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Talk Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Local Radio Stations (MPABACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI), News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)

Keywords

• Talk radio broadcasting
• Black-owned media
• Community radio station
• Podcast streaming
• Multimedia content

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: WURD Radio sells advertising to brands and marketers seeking to reach the African American Adult 25+ demographic. They offer customized, multi-media advertising programs with customized pricing.
2. Membership (forWURD Movement): Listener membership program providing supporter benefits and ongoing engagement with the station.
3. Event Sponsorships: Branded events including the Freedom Journeys Salon, Odunde Festival broadcasts, and special programming events generate sponsorship revenue.
4. Merchandise Sales: WURD Radio Store selling branded merchandise through their Shopify storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WURD Radio operates the only African-American owned and operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania, broadcasting news, political commentary, cultural programming, and music on 900AM and 96.1FM to Philadelphia's Black community. The company also distributes programming via WURD TV Live video streaming, the WURD on Demand podcast platform, WURD Articles digital news, community events, and the forWURD listener membership program.

Product overview

WURD Radio is a multi-media, multi-platform Black-owned talk radio company built around its core radio station (900AM/96.1FM). The portfolio comprises the flagship radio station with 30+ daily and weekly shows, WURD TV Live for video streaming, WURD on Demand podcast platform, WURD Articles for digital news, the Freedom Journeys storytelling project, forWURD membership program, and advertising services. WURD Radio positions itself as the go-to media channel for Philadelphia's Black community, offering news, talk shows, cultural programming, and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WURD Radio (900AM/96.1FM) The primary AM and FM talk radio station broadcasting news, talk shows, and cultural programming to Philadelphia's Black community on 900AM and 96.1FM.
• WURD TV Live Multi-platform video streaming service for live broadcasts and on-demand video content from WURD's shows and events.
• WURD on Demand (Podcast Platform) On-demand podcast service featuring archived shows including The Power Hour, Wake Up With WURD, Reality Check, Evening WURDs, CROSSWURDZ, and The Source.
• WURD Articles Digital news articles and editorial content covering current events, politics, culture, and community issues affecting Black communities.
• Freedom Journeys Podcast Storytelling project celebrating 250 iconic African American Philadelphians from 1776 to 2026, featuring the Sacred Places series exploring historic Black Philadelphia spaces.
• forWURD Movement (Membership) Paid membership program supporting independent Black media, priced at $90 per year, offering exclusive content and community engagement opportunities for supporters.
• Advertising on WURD Multi-media advertising solutions connecting brands with WURD's loyal African American audience through customized marketing programs combining on-air, online, and in-person community audiences.
• Community Events and Live Broadcasts Community events, live broadcasts, candidate forums, cultural celebrations, and special programming hosted by WURD Radio throughout the year, including the Freedom Journeys Salon, Odunde Festival broadcasts, and the 2026 Election Night Special Broadcast.
• ecoWURD Magazine Environmental justice journalism initiative and weekly broadcast magazine featuring in-depth conversations with experts, organizers, and lawmakers on local, national, and global environmental issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted voice for Black community engagement and civic participation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Brown's Family ShopRiteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of Big Game/Wake Up With WURD football trivia contest, providing $25 gift cards as prizes to contest winners.
• Dietz & WatsonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Big Game football trivia contest on WURD Radio.
• Herr'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Big Game football trivia contest on WURD Radio.
• Verde CapitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the 2026 Election Night Special Broadcast event, bringing together community voices, elected officials, and expert analysts.
• Committee of SeventyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the 2026 Election Night Special Broadcast providing voter education and election oversight expertise.
• Spencer FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of the 'Building a Living Archive' project on WURD, empowering students to reclaim Black history through oral histories and digital storytelling.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: The largest U.S. radio operator with stations in virtually every major market including Philadelphia. Comparable to WURD as a multi-market AM/FM broadcaster, though WURD's community/independence positioning differentiates it from iHeart's mainstream commercial model.
• Emmis Communications: U.S. radio broadcasting company that has owned urban-format stations serving Black audiences. Comparable to WURD through ownership of urban-contemporary radio stations targeting African American listeners, though operates at significantly larger scale.
• Cumulus Media: Major U.S. radio operator with stations including news/talk formats. Comparable to WURD in talk-format broadcasting, but operates at national scale and is not Black-owned or community-focused.
• Urban One: The largest African-American-owned media company in the U.S., operating radio stations, TV, and digital properties targeting Black audiences. Comparable to WURD in audience focus and content mission, but operates nationally at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• WHUR-FM: Howard University's commercial radio station in Washington, D.C., serving the Black community with news, talk, and urban contemporary formats. Comparable to WURD as a Black-focused talk/urban station with deep community ties in a major East Coast market.
• WPFW: Pacifica Foundation's Washington, D.C. listener-supported radio station providing progressive and Black-focused programming. Comparable to WURD in independent/community talk format serving African American listeners with civic and cultural content.
• WVON: Chicago-based talk radio station owned by Midway Broadcasting and focused on the African American community. Direct comparable to WURD as an independently Black-owned, talk-format radio station serving a major metro's Black audience.
• KPRS: Kansas City-area Black-owned radio station operated by Carter Broadcast Group. Comparable to WURD as an independently Black-owned station providing urban and community-focused content in a single metropolitan market.

Emerging players

• Café Mocha Radio: Nationally syndicated weekend radio show hosted by Loni Love, Yo-Yo, and Angelique Perrin, airing on WURD and other affiliates. Comparable as a Black-focused talk/entertainment program with shared talent and overlapping audience demographic, though operates as a show rather than a full station.

Regional players

• Pacifica Foundation: Parent organization of listener-supported community radio stations including WPFW, KPFA, KPFK, WBAI, and KPFT. Comparable to WURD in non-commercial, community-driven talk programming with civic engagement focus, though operating across multiple markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/onwurd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/onwurd
• Facebookfacebook.com/ForWURD
• Instagraminstagram.com/onwurd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 WURD Radio