Alternative Radio
Alternative Radio is a Boulder-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that produces and distributes audio programs featuring progressive intellectuals and activists to listeners, community radio stations, and educational institutions, funded by subscriptions, donations, and content sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Alternative Radio does
Alternative Radio is a non-profit media organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, operating as a program of the RISE UP 501(c)(3) umbrella entity (EIN 47-4043799). It produces and distributes long-form audio programs featuring progressive intellectuals, activists, and academics — including Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Angela Davis, Chris Hedges, Arundhati Roy, and Edward Said — covering U.S. foreign policy, capitalism, imperialism, and social justice. The organization has operated continuously under a no-ads, no-corporate-funding, no-government-grant editorial stance since inception.
The core product is an audio program library distributed across MP3 downloads, physical CDs, written transcripts, and podcast feeds, with specialized collections such as the Armenian Survivors Project, Chomsky on Linguistics, Cultural Programs, and a Greatest Hits archive. The technology layer is a relatively conventional e-commerce and content-delivery platform: digital items delivered via download/email, physical CDs shipped by mail from the Boulder PO Box, and podcast distribution through standard RSS. Programming is also licensed free of charge to affiliate community radio stations (e.g., KGNU, KALW), which extend its reach to broadcast audiences. Founder David Barsamian is the central figure driving speaker acquisition and content commissioning.
The business model is a hybrid non-profit revenue stack with no advertising or corporate sponsorship. Annual season subscriptions run $200 (September–June, 4–5 programs monthly) and form the recurring base; one-time individual program purchases carry tiered volume discounts (10–20% above $50–$100); donations are accepted on daily/weekly/monthly/yearly cadences plus a vehicle donation program; and books authored by featured speakers are sold through the storefront. Customer segments include progressive individual listeners, affiliate community radio stations, and educational institutions that use the content for coursework. The organization reports 11–50 employees and discloses no revenue figures.
Alternative Radio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alternative Radio
- Legal name
- RISE UP
- Website
- https://alternativeradio.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alternative Radio is a Boulder-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that produces and distributes audio programs featuring progressive intellectuals and activists to listeners, community radio stations, and educational institutions, funded by subscriptions, donations, and content sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alternative Radio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Public Affairs Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Radio Program Syndication (Talk, Music, Sports) (MPABAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)
Keywords
Where Alternative Radio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alternative Radio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Season Subscriptions: Annual subscription model at $200 per year providing access to all audio programs September through June (4-5 programs per month). Subscribers can receive MP3s, transcripts, or CDs depending on preference.
- Individual Program Sales: Single program purchases in various formats (MP3 downloads, CDs, transcripts). Volume discounts apply for orders over $50 (10%), $75 (15%), and $100 (20%).
- Donations: Tax-deductible contributions accepted via daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly recurring donation options. One-time donations also accepted. Vehicle donations program available.
- Book Sales: Sale of books authored by featured speakers including Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Chris Hedges, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Season Subscription - Full broadcast season access (September-June) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Volume Discount - Spend-based tiered discounts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Recurring Donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
Alternative Radio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alternative Radio produces and distributes independent audio programming featuring long-form interviews with progressive intellectuals and activists on politics, history, economics, and social justice. Content is sold directly to listeners as individual MP3 downloads, compact discs, printed transcripts, and books, and is also offered as a weekly season subscription that aggregates new programs. Programs are additionally broadcast free of charge by an affiliate network of public, community, and college radio stations worldwide.
Product overview
Alternative Radio operates as a media distribution platform offering audio-based educational content focused on public affairs, progressive politics, and social justice. The core product consists of audio programs (MP3 downloads) featuring prominent speakers such as Noam Chomsky, Chris Hedges, Angela Davis, and others. Content is distributed through multiple channels: digital downloads (MP3s), written transcripts, physical CDs, and podcast streaming. The organization offers a season subscription model providing access to the full broadcast season (September through June, 4-5 programs monthly). Additional products include books by featured speakers and specialized collections such as the Cultural Programs archive, Greatest Hits Archives, Armenian Survivors Project, and Chomsky on Linguistics series. Revenue is generated through program sales, subscriptions, donations, and book sales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RISE UP: Umbrella non-profit organization for Alternative Radio, the AR Archive, and David Barsamian
Products and services
- Audio Programs (MP3 Downloads) Individual full-length audio interviews with progressive intellectuals and activists on politics, history, economics, and social justice, sold as downloadable MP3 files. Targeted at individual listeners and educators seeking in-depth alternative perspectives.
- Audio Programs (Compact Disc) Physical CD versions of individual Alternative Radio programs, packaged for listeners who prefer ownership of a tangible audio product. Sold through the company website, phone, and mail orders.
- Season Subscription (Weekly Programs) Annual subscription delivering each new weekly Alternative Radio program to the subscriber over the course of a broadcast season. Marketed to dedicated listeners who want continuous access to the full weekly programming output.
- Printed Transcripts Printed and digital text transcripts of Alternative Radio programs, available for purchase separately. Used by educators, students, researchers, and listeners who prefer reading or want a searchable reference of the interview content.
- Books Physical books sold through the Alternative Radio bookstore, typically authored by or featuring contributors to the program, covering politics, history, and social justice. Sold directly via the company website.
- Cultural Programs Collection Curated collection of Alternative Radio audio programs focused on cultural themes, browsable as a thematic catalog on the company website and sold as individual programs in MP3/CD/transcript formats.
- Greatest Hits Archive Curated selection of standout and most-requested programs from the Alternative Radio catalog, compiled as a themed archive for new listeners and as a discoverability surface on the program store.
- Armenian Survivors Project Thematic series of programs centered on Armenian genocide survivors and related historical content, sold as a coordinated audio program collection via the company website.
- Chomsky on Linguistics Collection Themed collection of programs featuring Noam Chomsky on the subject of linguistics, curated and sold as a single topic area within the Alternative Radio program store.
Companies that use Alternative Radio
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alternative Radio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Alternative Radio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- KGNU RadiominorCommunity radio station KGNU in Boulder, Colorado is mentioned in testimonials as broadcasting Alternative Radio programming. Stations receive programming free of charge. The relationship is casual/informal rather than formal partnership.
- KALW RadiominorKALW is mentioned in testimonials as a weekly broadcaster of Alternative Radio content. Stations receive programming free of charge. The relationship is casual/informal rather than formal partnership.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Alternative Radio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Democracy Now!: Independent, nonprofit daily news program featuring progressive analysis and interviews with activists and intellectuals. Direct peer — same audience, same editorial stance, and overlapping speaker roster (Chomsky, Hedges, Davis have all appeared on both).
- Pacifica Radio: Listener-supported nonprofit radio network producing progressive talk, news, and culture programming. Direct peer — comparable nonprofit funding model, progressive editorial stance, and affiliate-station distribution architecture.
Broad incumbents
- NPR: Largest U.S. public radio network producing news, talk, and cultural programming distributed via affiliate stations. Broad incumbent — overlapping talk/news content and public-radio distribution, but a much wider editorial scope and significantly larger scale.
- KCRW: Independent, listener-supported public radio station producing news, talk, and cultural programming with a progressive lean. Broad incumbent — similar nonprofit funding mix and public-radio distribution, but based in a single market (Los Angeles) and broader in programming.
- WNYC: Major listener-supported public radio station producing flagship talk and news programs (e.g., On the Media, Radiolab). Broad incumbent — comparable nonprofit funding and audio-production depth, though politically broader in scope.
- ProPublica: Major nonprofit investigative-journalism outlet funded by donations and foundation grants. Broad incumbent — comparable nonprofit, donation-funded model and educational use case, though investigative reporting rather than long-form audio commentary.
Emerging players
- Common Dreams: Reader-funded, nonprofit progressive news outlet aggregating opinion and analysis on U.S. politics and foreign policy. Emerging player — overlapping audience and nonprofit donation model, with shared editorial themes though not an audio producer.
- The Intercept: Independent, donor-funded investigative outlet covering U.S. foreign policy, civil liberties, and social justice — the same beats Alternative Radio covers. Emerging player — comparable audience and editorial focus, but operates in text/online video rather than audio syndication.
- FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting): Media-criticism nonprofit producing analysis of U.S. media bias. Emerging player — overlapping progressive media-criticism editorial stance and nonprofit subscription/donation model, though primarily text and short-form rather than long-form audio.
Others
- The Nation: Long-running progressive magazine publishing opinion, analysis, and reporting on U.S. politics and foreign policy. Thematic adjacency — same ideological positioning, overlapping author pool, and reader-funded model, but a print/digital publication rather than an audio producer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Alternative Radio social profiles
Digital presenceAlternative Radio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alternative Radio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Alternative Radio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alternative 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 Alternative Radio
What does Alternative Radio do?
Alternative Radio produces and distributes independent audio programming featuring long-form interviews with progressive intellectuals and activists on politics, history, economics, and social justice. Content is sold directly to listeners as individual MP3 downloads, compact discs, printed transcripts, and books, and is also offered as a weekly season subscription that aggregates new programs. Programs are additionally broadcast free of charge by an affiliate network of public, community, and college radio stations worldwide.
Is Alternative Radio a public or private company?
Alternative Radio is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Alternative Radio founded?
Alternative Radio was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alternative Radio based?
Alternative Radio is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alternative Radio make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Season Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are individual Program Sales, donations and book Sales.
Who are Alternative Radio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Democracy Now! and Pacifica Radio. Broad incumbents are NPR, KCRW, WNYC and ProPublica. Emerging players are Common Dreams, The Intercept and FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting). The Nation is listed as an others.
Does Alternative Radio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alternative Radio.
What industry is Alternative Radio in?
Alternative Radio's product category is Independent Public Affairs Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAMAE, Radio Program Syndication (Talk, Music, Sports), with a secondary code of MPAIAEAG, Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication. Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.