Utah Public Radio

What Utah Public Radio does

Utah Public Radio (UPR) is a non-commercial public radio network headquartered on the Utah State University campus in Logan, Utah, operating as part of USU's College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Communication & Media. Founded in 1953, the network broadcasts across six FCC-licensed FM stations (KUSU, KUST, KUSR, KUSL, KUSK, and KCEU) providing statewide coverage, and complements over-the-air distribution with three online streaming streams - UPR Live, UPR Classical, and UPR Tres (a Spanish-language stream delivered via partnership with Radio Bilingüe) - plus on-demand podcast distribution and a Utah Community Calendar. UPR is an NPR member station and produces or distributes a portfolio of locally originated programs including Access Utah, Behind the Headlines, Both Sides of the Aisle, Wild About Utah, Corner Concert Series, Eating the Past, The Edge of Jazz, and the AgWellness and Utah Climate Center Forecast podcasts.

UPR's underlying technology platform is a hybrid broadcast/streaming architecture: FCC-licensed FM transmitters for regional coverage, web-based streaming via uprxstreamer.usu.edu, RSS/anchor-hosted podcast distribution, email newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube). A specialty partnership with the Utah State University Utah Climate Center powers the station's weather and climate content. Distribution includes NPR-syndicated national news, plus content from American Public Media, PRX, BBC World Service, and CBC Radio. The platform is built on the Brightspot/NPR CMS stack evident from image asset URLs, with FCC-hosted online public files for regulatory compliance.

UPR is funded as a public broadcaster and generates no commercial product revenue. Funding sources include listener donations (one-time, monthly recurring, vehicle donation through CARS), Producer Circle membership, planned and major/legacy giving, corporate underwriting and sponsorship, federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and institutional support from Utah State University. Pricing is not publicly disclosed because content is free over-the-air and online. Customer/audience segments are horizontal: the general Utah public, Spanish-speaking communities, and the USU campus community. The organization is structured as a private, nonprofit unit operating under the public/state university parent.

Name

Utah Public Radio

Legal name

Utah Public Radio

Website

https://upr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Utah Public Radio is a non-commercial public radio network affiliated with Utah State University, broadcasting statewide across six FCC-licensed FM stations and three online streams, serving Utah audiences with local news, NPR programming, classical music, and Spanish-language content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB), National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• NPR member station
• Local news programming
• Audio streaming services
• Community radio network

Headquarters

HQ city

Logan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations: Voluntary contributions from listeners through donation campaigns, with options for monthly giving and vehicle donations.
2. Underwriting and Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship and underwriting opportunities for businesses seeking to reach public radio audiences.
3. Public Broadcasting Funding: Funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as a public radio station member of NPR.
4. University Support: Institutional support from Utah State University, where UPR is headquartered and operates as part of the university's communication/media department.
5. Planned and Major Giving: Legacy giving programs and planned donations for long-term station support.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Utah Public Radio operates a statewide public radio network consisting of six FCC-licensed FM stations, three online audio streams (UPR Live, UPR Classical, UPR Tres), and a portfolio of locally produced news, talk, and cultural programs. The station distributes content through over-the-air FM broadcasts, online streaming, podcast platforms, and a community calendar, while operating as part of Utah State University's College of Arts & Sciences.

Product overview

Utah Public Radio operates as a public radio network affiliated with Utah State University, offering multiple audio streaming services (UPR Live, UPR Classical, and UPR Tres for Spanish-language content), along with an extensive portfolio of news and talk programs including Access Utah, Behind the Headlines, Both Sides of the Aisle, The Edge of Jazz, Wild About Utah, Corner Concert Series, and Eating the Past. The station provides weather forecasting through a partnership with the Utah Climate Center, maintains a community calendar service, and distributes content through newsletters and podcasts including the AgWellness podcast. Content distribution occurs via live radio broadcast, online streaming, podcast platforms, and RSS feeds. The organization also provides FCC regulatory compliance services through its online public file system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Access Utah: Flagship talk program featuring interviews and cultural discussions
• Behind the Headlines
• Both Sides of the Aisle
• UPR Classical
• UPR Tres
• UPR Live
• Corner Concert Series
• Wild About Utah
• Eating the Past
• The Edge of Jazz
• Mountain West News Bureau

Products and services

• UPR Live Live streaming radio service featuring real-time broadcast of news, talk shows, and music programs for general Utah audiences.
• UPR Classical Classical music streaming channel featuring curated classical compositions and performances for listeners.
• UPR Tres Spanish-language music and talk streaming service featuring content from Radio Bilingüe, providing variety of Spanish-language programs for Spanish-speaking Utah audiences.
• Access Utah Flagship talk show featuring interviews, cultural commentary, and in-depth discussions on Utah-related topics including literature, history, and current events.
• Behind the Headlines Current events discussion program featuring journalists and newsmakers covering Utah and regional issues.
• Both Sides of the Aisle Bipartisan political discussion program exploring different perspectives on current political issues.
• The Edge of Jazz Weekly jazz music program featuring classic standards, Latin rhythms, contemporary originals, and local jazz artists.
• Wild About Utah Environmental and nature-focused program highlighting Utah's wildlife, natural landscapes, and conservation topics.
• Corner Concert Series Showcase series for local Utah musical artists featuring live performances and artist interviews, designed to highlight public radio's role in the community.
• Eating the Past Historical food and culture program exploring culinary traditions and their connections to historical events and aging.
• Utah Climate Center Forecast Weather forecasting and climate news service providing Utah-specific forecasts, powered by partnership with Utah State University's Utah Climate Center.
• Community Calendar Online event calendar service listing community events across Utah including arts, concerts, theater, lectures, classes, and cultural events.
• UPR Newsletter Weekly email newsletter delivering news summaries, program highlights, and community updates to subscribers.
• AgWellness Podcast Podcast exploring mental health issues in the farming and ranching community, produced in partnership with USU Extension and Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program.
• Noticias en Español Spanish-language news podcast delivering Utah and national news to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPR is a member station of NPR, receiving national news content, program licensing, and access to NPR journalism and programming.
• Utah State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPR is headquartered at and operates as part of Utah State University's College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Communication & Media. The station serves as a training ground for students and is staffed with faculty.
• Utah Climate CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Utah State University's Utah Climate Center to deliver state-of-the-art weather forecasts and climate news to Utah audiences.
• Radio BilingüecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPR partners with Radio Bilingüe to provide UPR Tres, a Spanish-language music and talk stream serving Utah's Spanish-speaking communities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Boise State Public Radio: University-affiliated (Boise State University) NPR member station operating across Idaho with a similar multi-station public radio model, comparable funding mix, and parallel local content strategy.
• Montana Public Radio: University of Montana-affiliated public radio network serving a single rural state with a similar NPR membership, donation-based revenue model, and locally-produced news/talk programming.
• KCRW: Santa Monica College-affiliated public radio station known for distinctive music programming, NPR news, and strong digital/streaming presence — comparable public radio model with deeper digital distribution.
• KEXP: University of Washington-affiliated public radio station with a music-discovery focus and strong digital streaming platform — comparable university-public radio model with above-average digital maturity.
• Wyoming Public Radio: University of Wyoming-affiliated public radio network with multi-station statewide coverage, NPR membership, and comparable underwriting + donation revenue structure.
• Colorado Public Radio: Independent (non-university) Colorado-based public radio organization operating multiple stations with NPR content, comparable news/culture programming, and similar listener-supported funding model.

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network of which UPR is a member station — supplies content, journalism, and distribution infrastructure that defines the operating framework of UPR and comparable member stations.
• WBUR: Boston University-affiliated public radio station with national news programming, large donor base, and significantly greater scale than regional Mountain West peers.
• KQED: Major San Francisco Bay Area public media organization operating radio and television with significantly larger scale, broader programming portfolio, and more diversified funding than Utah Public Radio.

Others

• PRX (Public Radio Exchange): Public radio content distribution and exchange platform that supports program syndication for stations like UPR — a technology/infrastructure partner rather than a competing broadcaster.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/utahpublicradio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCq_BAhmagzGe08kXUyCKq7w
• Facebookfacebook.com/utahpublicradio
• Instagraminstagram.com/utahpublicradio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Utah Public Radio