WURD Radio
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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).
WURD Radio firmographics
Firmographics- 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
WURD Radio industry classification
Industry- 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
Where WURD Radio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WURD Radio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- Membership (forWURD Movement): Listener membership program providing supporter benefits and ongoing engagement with the station.
- Event Sponsorships: Branded events including the Freedom Journeys Salon, Odunde Festival broadcasts, and special programming events generate sponsorship revenue.
- Merchandise Sales: WURD Radio Store selling branded merchandise through their Shopify storefront.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | forWURD Movement Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
WURD Radio product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use WURD Radio
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WURD Radio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
WURD Radio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Brown's Family ShopRiteminorSponsorship of Big Game/Wake Up With WURD football trivia contest, providing $25 gift cards as prizes to contest winners.
- Dietz & WatsonminorSponsor of Big Game football trivia contest on WURD Radio.
- Herr'sminorSponsor of Big Game football trivia contest on WURD Radio.
- Verde CapitalminorPartner for the 2026 Election Night Special Broadcast event, bringing together community voices, elected officials, and expert analysts.
- Committee of SeventyminorPartner for the 2026 Election Night Special Broadcast providing voter education and election oversight expertise.
- Spencer FoundationminorFunder 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
WURD Radio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
WURD Radio social profiles
Digital presenceWURD Radio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WURD Radio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
WURD Radio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WURD Radio 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 WURD Radio
What does WURD Radio do?
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.
Is WURD Radio a public or private company?
WURD Radio is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was WURD Radio founded?
WURD Radio was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WURD Radio based?
WURD Radio is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does WURD Radio make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advertising Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership (forWURD Movement), event Sponsorships and merchandise Sales.
Who are WURD Radio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are iHeartMedia, Emmis Communications, Cumulus Media and Urban One. Direct peers are WHUR-FM, WPFW, WVON and KPRS. Café Mocha Radio is listed as an emerging player. Pacifica Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does WURD Radio have an API?
No public API is recorded for WURD Radio.
What industry is WURD Radio in?
WURD Radio's product category is Talk Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAD, Independent Local Radio Stations, with a secondary code of MPAIADAJ, Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.