Frees Media

What Frees Media does

Frees Media is a privately held, founder-owned marketing and advertising agency founded in 1995 by Bill Frees and based in Randolph, New Jersey. The firm operates as a full-service integrated marketing agency, providing media planning and buying across television, radio, print, digital, and out-of-home channels, along with creative production, public relations, event marketing, and invoice auditing. It serves both national brands and local companies, and has developed a notable multi-cultural advertising capability producing commercials in 10+ languages including Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Urdu.

The company's revenue model is professional-services based, generating income through agency fees and media-buying markups on client campaigns. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with each program tailored to the client's goals. The firm leverages decades-long relationships with senior contacts at local media vendors to negotiate rates below published SQAD cost per points and to secure value-added inventory such as bonus spots, remotes, and event sponsorships.

Beyond traditional agency services, Frees Media operates two proprietary media products: TalkStreamLive.com, a web portal aggregating streaming radio programs, and the Talk Stream iOS app. Both were launched in 2013 and represent the firm's move into streaming media. The customer base spans real estate (Weichert, Realtors), education (K12), home appliances (EdenPURE), pharmaceutical (Buckley's), and healthcare (Cold-EEZE), with the agency operating on a direct sales motion led by the founder-CEO.

Name

Frees Media

Legal name

Frees Media, Inc.

Website

https://freesmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Frees Media is a founder-owned, full-service integrated marketing agency in Randolph, NJ, providing media planning, buying, and creative services across TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor channels to national and local brands since 1995.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising & Marketing Services

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183), Media Representatives (541840), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

akta.pro primary industry

Video/CTV/OTT Media Buying (MPAAABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB)

Keywords

• Media planning buying
• Integrated advertising services
• Multicultural advertising campaigns
• Creative production services
• Digital social media marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Randolph

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Media Planning and Buying Services: Frees Media provides media planning and buying services for TV, radio, print, and digital channels. Revenue is generated through agency fees and media buying markups. They negotiate competitive rates below published SQAD cost per points and provide invoice auditing services.
2. Creative Marketing Services: Creative development services for all advertising vehicles including TV commercials, radio spots, print ads, and digital campaigns. They work with cinematographer Vern Nobles Jr. for professional commercial productions.
3. Event Marketing and Public Relations: Event marketing services and public relations support as part of integrated marketing programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Frees Media is a marketing and advertising agency that delivers integrated marketing programs for national and local companies, covering media planning and buying across TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor channels, plus creative production, public relations, event marketing, and multi-cultural advertising. The company also developed and operates TalkStreamLive.com, a web portal aggregating thousands of streaming radio programs for internet and mobile, and the Talk Stream mobile app on iTunes.

Product overview

Frees Media is a marketing and advertising agency offering integrated marketing services including media planning and buying across TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor channels. The company also operates two proprietary media products: TalkStreamLive.com, a web portal aggregating thousands of streaming radio programs for internet and mobile, and the Talk Stream mobile app available on iTunes. Their service portfolio spans traditional advertising (radio, television, print, out-of-home), digital and social media campaigns, public relations, event marketing, creative production, and multicultural advertising in multiple languages including Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Polish, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Urdu.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TalkStreamLive.com: A web portal that aggregates thousands of streaming radio programs for both the internet and mobile phones.
• Talk Stream

Products and services

• TalkStreamLive.com A web portal that aggregates thousands of streaming radio programs for both internet and mobile access, developed by Frees Media to be on the cutting edge of streaming radio.
• Talk Stream Mobile App A streaming talk radio mobile application developed by Frees Media and available in the iTunes app store, providing mobile access to streaming radio content.
• Integrated Marketing and Advertising Services Full-service marketing agency offering media planning and buying across TV, radio, print, digital, and outdoor channels, plus creative production, public relations, event marketing, digital and social media management, and multi-cultural advertising for national and local companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Media rates well below published SQAD cost per points

Named customers8 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

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• MediaCom (WPP): WPP-owned global media agency providing media planning and buying across all channels. A major holding-company competitor to independent agencies like Frees Media for enterprise clients.
• OMD (Omnicom Media Group): Global media agency within Omnicom, offering media planning and buying at massive scale. Represents the holding-company incumbent that Frees Media competes against for national advertiser business.
• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster and digital audio platform (iHeartRadio). Comparable to Frees Media on the radio side as both sell radio advertising and operate digital audio platforms, though iHeart operates at vastly greater scale and is publicly traded.

Direct peers

• Zimmerman Advertising: Independent US advertising agency with strong TV/radio and retail focus. Comparable to Frees Media in serving national and local clients across traditional media channels with creative and media buying capabilities.
• RPA: Independent US advertising agency providing creative, media planning, and buying services. Comparable to Frees Media as an independent full-service agency serving national clients, though at significantly larger scale.
• Horizon Media: Largest US independent media agency, providing media planning and buying across TV, radio, digital, and print. Directly comparable to Frees Media as an independent, full-service media buying agency serving national advertisers, though at significantly larger scale.
• Empower MediaGroup: Independent, women-owned media agency providing media planning, buying, and analytics. Comparable to Frees Media as an independent agency offering multi-channel media services across traditional and digital channels.
• Butler/Till: Independent US media agency specializing in media planning, buying, and analytics across traditional and digital channels. Comparable to Frees Media in offering integrated media services with a relationship-driven buying approach, though at larger scale.
• Mediahub: Independent global media agency (part of MullenLowe) offering media planning and buying across all channels. Comparable to Frees Media in providing multi-channel media buying for national and regional advertisers.

Emerging players

• TuneIn: Audio streaming platform aggregating thousands of live radio stations, podcasts, and audio content. Directly comparable to Frees Media's TalkStreamLive.com and Talk Stream app in product category, but operating at vastly larger scale with substantial venture backing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frees-media-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Frees Media