WXXI Public Broadcasting Council

What WXXI Public Broadcasting Council does

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council is a nonprofit public media organization headquartered at 280 State Street in Rochester, New York, founded in 1958 and operating across the Greater Rochester metropolitan area, the Finger Lakes region, and Western New York. The organization delivers multi-platform public media services through four over-the-air digital television channels (WXXI-TV, WXXI World, WXXI Create, and WXXI Kids 24/7), six-plus radio stations (including WXXI-AM 1370, WXXI-FM 105.9, WXXO-FM 91.5 classical, and partnership stations WRUR-FM 88.5, WEOS-FM, and WITH-FM 90.1), and digital properties including the WXXI News and WXXI Classical websites, the PBS App, and the WXXI App. As a PBS and NPR member station, WXXI distributes flagship national programming while producing original local news, documentaries, and education content. The organization also operates The Little Theatre (cinema and cultural events), CITY Magazine (local Rochester publication), City 12 (a cable channel partnership with the City of Rochester), and WXXI Education (PBS LearningMedia, Jobs Explained career exploration, and educator professional development).

WXXI's revenue model is diversified across four primary streams: individual membership contributions and donations (with the WXXI Passport streaming benefit available at $5/month or $60/year), corporate sponsorship and underwriting, federal funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and production services for external clients. WXXI's customer base spans general public viewers and listeners, K-12 educators and students, and families with children, with distribution reaching approximately 11 counties via over-the-air broadcast and additional reach through Spectrum cable, DIRECTV, Dish Network, and digital streaming. In 2025, WXXI lost $1.9 million in annual federal funding due to Trump administration budget cuts at the CPB and is undergoing an organizational reinvention focused on expanding production services and partnership-based revenue to replace the lost grant support. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President and CEO Chris Hastings, with a management team spanning technology, content, finance, education, programming, and development functions.

Name

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council

Legal name

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council

Website

https://wxxi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council is a nonprofit PBS and NPR member station serving the Greater Rochester, Finger Lakes, and Western New York regions through four TV channels, six-plus radio stations, digital streaming, education services, CITY Magazine, and The Little Theatre cinema.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting
• Educational television
• Community radio
• Public media services
• Digital news streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

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

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: Individual member contributions and donations form a significant revenue stream. WXXI Passport membership benefits are offered at $5/month or $60/year.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship and underwriting deals with local and national businesses.
3. Federal Funding: Federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). WXXI lost $1.9 million in federal funding due to Trump administration budget cuts.
4. Production Services: WXXI plans to expand production services as a revenue stream following federal funding losses.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council operates a multi-platform public media network serving the Greater Rochester, New York region with PBS-affiliated television channels, NPR-affiliated radio stations, and digital streaming services. The organization produces local news and educational programming, publishes CITY Magazine, operates The Little Theatre (an independent cinema), and provides educational services to schools and community organizations. Revenue is generated through memberships, individual donations, corporate underwriting/sponsorships, federal and state grants, and production services.

Product overview

WXXI Public Broadcasting Council is a public media organization operating a multi-channel, multi-platform portfolio centered on broadcast television, radio, digital news, and education services. The core TV portfolio includes WXXI-TV (main channel), WXXI World (documentaries and news), WXXI Create (lifestyle programming), and WXXI Kids 24/7, all distributed over-the-air and via Spectrum Cable. The radio portfolio spans WXXI-AM 1370, WXXI-FM 105.9, WXXO-FM 91.5 (classical), WXXY-FM 90.3, and partnership stations WRUR-FM 88.5, WEOS-FM, and WITH-FM 90.1, all streamable via direct stream URLs. The digital membership product WXXI Passport extends on-demand streaming access to PBS and WXXI content for contributing members. The education division (WXXI Education) curates PBS LearningMedia classroom resources, career exploration via American Graduate/Jobs Explained, family PBS KIDS materials, and professional development. Related brands include CITY Magazine, The Little (Little Theatre), and the America at 250 initiative, all positioned under the unified WXXI brand umbrella affiliated with PBS and NPR.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WXXI-TV: Primary television station with multiple channels including WXXI-HD, WXXI World, WXXI Create, and WXXI Kids 24/7
• WXXI World
• WXXI Create
• The Little Theatre
• CITY Magazine
• City 12

Products and services

• WXXI Public Television Service
• WXXI Radio Broadcasting Service
• WXXI Passport
• WXXI News
• CITY Magazine
• The Little Theatre
• WXXI Education Services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWXXI is a PBS member station, carrying PBS programming including Masterpiece, Great Performances, Antiques Roadshow, Ken Burns documentaries, and other PBS content. Programming is made available through the PBS network affiliation.
• NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWXXI is an NPR member station, providing NPR news programming including Morning Edition and All Things Considered to the Rochester community through its radio stations.
• University of Rochester (WRUR-FM 88.5)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroadcast partnership providing NPR news and eclectic music programming. WRUR-FM signal reaches eastern Orleans and Genesee counties, Livingston County, Ontario and Wayne counties, and portions of Wyoming and Yates counties. Morning programming from WXXI-AM 1370 is simulcast on WRUR-FM 88.5.
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges (WEOS-FM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPR station partnership providing 24 hours of NPR news programs and eclectic entertainment to the Finger Lakes area. WEOS-FM signal reaches from Honeoye Lake to Otisco Lake, north to Lyons, and south to Dundee.
• City of Rochester (City 12)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique relationship between the City of Rochester and WXXI Public Broadcasting Council. City 12 is offered only on cable within the City of Rochester limits, providing practical life skills information tailored to urban environments.
• The WNET GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWXXI participates in the national Jobs Explained initiative led by The WNET Group with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This initiative produces short-form videos on social media spotlighting in-demand careers.
• Monroe Community College (MCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCC serves as a rain location for Hochstein at High Falls concerts and partner for community events like the Make a Circle screening.
• High Falls Business AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of the Hochstein at High Falls lunchtime summer concert series at Granite Mills Park in Rochester.
• The Hochstein SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Hochstein at High Falls concert series, bringing local music performances to the Rochester community.
• KQEDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSan Francisco-based public media station collaborating with WXXI on educator webinars and the American Revolution Youth Media Challenge through PBS LearningMedia.
• National History DayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit education organization partnering with WXXI on educator webinars focused on student-created history documentaries and the American Revolution.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WHYY: Philadelphia regional PBS and NPR member station operating TV, radio, and education services. WHYY is directly comparable to WXXI in scope, multi-channel distribution, public journalism, and educational programming partnerships.
• WETA: Washington, D.C. area PBS member station producing flagship PBS content. WETA is directly comparable to WXXI as a regional PBS affiliate with original production, educational outreach, and broadcast distribution.
• WNET: New York flagship PBS member station operating television channels and digital properties. WNET is directly comparable as a large-market PBS affiliate producing original programming, education content, and operating under the same PBS network framework as WXXI.
• WGBH: Boston-based PBS member station and one of the largest producers of PBS content nationally. WGBH is directly comparable to WXXI in operating PBS-affiliated TV channels, radio services, educational programming, and cultural content initiatives.
• KQED: San Francisco Bay Area PBS and NPR member station. KQED operates TV channels, radio stations, KQED Learning, and digital news—matching WXXI's multi-platform public media structure, and is already a confirmed WXXI collaborator on educator webinars.
• Twin Cities PBS (TPT): Minneapolis–St. Paul PBS member station operating multiple channels (TPT 2, TPT Life, TPT Kids) and digital education services. TPT is directly comparable to WXXI's multi-channel TV portfolio and educational programming focus.
• Louisiana Public Broadcasting: Statewide PBS and NPR member network operating multiple TV channels and radio stations across Louisiana. LPB is directly comparable to WXXI as a public broadcaster dependent on CPB funding facing similar federal defunding exposure.
• ideastream Public Media: Cleveland-area public media organization operating WVIZ (PBS), WCPN (NPR), and a classical music station. ideastream mirrors WXXI's structure of combined TV, news/talk NPR, and classical FM services under one nonprofit.
• NET (Nebraska Educational Telecommunications): Nebraska's statewide public media network operating TV channels, radio stations, and educational services. NET is directly comparable to WXXI as a multi-platform, multi-station nonprofit broadcaster reliant on member support and federal funding.

Regional players

• WMHT: Capital District (Albany/Schenectady) PBS and NPR member station serving an adjacent New York region. WMHT is comparable to WXXI as a New York State public broadcaster with similar broadcast portfolio but does not overlap geographically in Rochester.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wxxirochester
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp9kmAdMbC5lJliuUVY8bMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/wxxirochester
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wxxi-public-broadcasting-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/wxxirochester

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries11 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 WXXI Public Broadcasting Council