Wcol

What Wcol does

92.3 WCOL is a country music radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio, broadcasting at 92.3 FM and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: IHRT), a publicly traded media conglomerate headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. WCOL brands itself as 'Columbus' #1 for New Country' and serves the Columbus metropolitan area audience. Its core offering combines traditional FM broadcast with digital streaming through the iHeartRadio app and website, smart speaker compatibility on Amazon Alexa and Google Home, and original on-air and podcast content including the Zuko & Kayla morning show, The 9941 Podcast, yes Columbus, and One More Bite, supplemented by syndicated iHeartCountry programming such as The Bobby Bones Show and After MidNite with Granger Smith.

The station's product surface includes live local programming, four branded podcasts, a content-rich website with event calendars and contest promotions, and social media presence across major platforms. Technology is delivered primarily through the iHeartRadio digital streaming platform rather than proprietary WCOL infrastructure, with notable integration features including smart speaker interoperability and Ticketmaster-linked event ticketing. WCOL also operates a recurring community event calendar, including Live @ Polaris (Thursdays at Polaris Fashion Place), Rt 4 Live concerts, Ohio State Fair appearances, and the Columbus Auto Dealers Concert for a Cause series, alongside a long-running partnership with the Operation Buckeye nonprofit.

WCOl's revenue model is advertising-driven, monetized through on-air ad sales, sponsorship deals with local and national brands, promotional contests and giveaways, and event-based sponsorship packages. The station directs potential advertisers to contact it directly for rates; no public pricing is disclosed. Its primary customer segment is adult country music listeners in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, and its advertiser base draws on local and regional businesses — including credit unions, auto dealer groups, and consumer brands — seeking access to the Columbus new country listener demographic.

Name

Wcol

Legal name

iHeartMedia, Inc.

Website

https://wcol.iheart.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

92.3 WCOL is a country music FM radio station serving the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. It delivers local new country programming, podcasts, live events, and digital streaming via iHeartRadio and smart speakers to Columbus-area listeners and advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF)

Keywords

• Country music radio
• FM radio broadcasting
• Digital audio streaming
• Radio advertising sales
• Community radio events

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorships: WCOL generates revenue through advertising sales and sponsorship deals with local and national brands. The station offers advertising opportunities to businesses wanting to reach the Columbus country music listener demographic.
2. Contests and Promotions: Station conducts contests and giveaways (such as Maybelline gift bundles, concert tickets) that drive listener engagement and create promotional partnership opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wcol (92.3 WCOL) is a Columbus, Ohio country music radio station that broadcasts new country music, local news, and weather at 92.3 FM. The station provides on-air personality programming, syndicated national shows, original podcasts, listener contests and giveaways, and live community events. Content is distributed via FM broadcast, the iHeartRadio digital streaming app, smart speakers, and podcast platforms.

Product overview

92.3 WCOL operates as a local country music radio station in Columbus, Ohio, as part of the iHeartMedia network. The station's offerings include live FM broadcast, digital streaming via the iHeartRadio platform, original podcasts (Zuko and Kayla, The 9941 Podcast, yes Columbus, One More Bite), and syndicated national shows (The Bobby Bones Show, After MidNite with Granger Smith). The station also maintains community event calendars and contest/giveaway programs. Listeners can access content through traditional radio, the iHeartRadio app, and smart speakers (Amazon Alexa, Google Home).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 92.3 WCOL Radio Station A country music FM radio station broadcasting at 92.3 FM in Columbus, Ohio, featuring new country music programming, on-air personalities, local news, contests, and community events for adult listeners in the Columbus metropolitan area.
• Zuko and Kayla Podcast An original podcast produced by WCOL featuring morning show hosts Dan Zuko and Kayla Hanley, covering Columbus news, entertainment, and community topics for station listeners.
• The 9941 Podcast An original podcast produced by the WCOL station, with the name referencing the station's frequency identifier, providing on-demand audio content to listeners.
• yes, Columbus Podcast A local podcast produced by WCOL focused on Columbus, Ohio events, culture, and community content for station listeners.
• One More Bite Podcast A food-related podcast produced by WCOL featuring dining and culinary content, with coverage of local Columbus restaurants.
• Zuko & Kayla Morning Show (The Wake-Up Call) A local morning drive radio show broadcast on WCOL featuring hosts Dan Zuko and Kayla Hanley, providing wake-up entertainment, news, and weather for Columbus listeners.
• After MidNite with Granger Smith A late-night country music radio program hosted by Granger Smith, aired on 92.3 WCOL as part of its daily programming schedule.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Columbus Auto DealersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2026Columbus Auto Dealers group partners with WCOL for Concert for a Cause events, combining charity fundraising with live music.
• Chris StapletonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026Chris Stapleton All American Roadshow at Paycor Stadium - station promotes and covers live concert events featuring major country artists.
• ErnestminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2026Ernest is featured for Rt 4 Live concert events at Columbus venues, creating local entertainment partnerships with emerging country artists.
• Wright-Patt Credit UnionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2026Wright-Patt Credit Union sponsors the Live @ Polaris community event series at Polaris Fashion Place, held every Thursday.
• Operation BuckeyeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2017WCOL partners with Operation Buckeye, a 501(c)(3) Central Ohio nonprofit, for community initiatives like Halloween candy collection for military care packages. Partnership has continued for over 13 years.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• TuneIn Radio: Audio streaming platform that aggregates live radio station broadcasts globally, including WCOL itself. Comparable as a distribution/streaming layer for radio content; adjacent competitor in the audio streaming space but enables rather than competes with local station reach.
• Spotify (Country Playlists): Global audio streaming platform offering algorithmic and curated country music playlists (e.g., 'Hot Country', 'Country Hits'). Comparable as a competing audio content channel for country music listeners, though it does not operate as a local broadcast station; it competes for time-spent and advertising budgets that would otherwise flow to terrestrial country radio.

Broad incumbents

• Cox Media Group Country Stations: Major media group operating radio and TV stations across multiple U.S. markets, including country formats. Comparable as a diversified incumbent broadcaster with overlapping audience monetization models, event-driven GTM, and competitive ad sales dynamics against iHeartMedia stations.
• SiriusXM The Highway Channel: Satellite radio service operating The Highway, a dedicated country music channel with national reach. Comparable in format (country music) and audience, but operates on a subscription model with broader geographic reach and competes for country listener share and ad dollars against local country stations like WCOL.

Direct peers

• WBNS-FM (B-98.7, Columbus): Columbus-based competitor radio station operating in the local market. Direct peer for ad sales competition, listener share, and local community engagement, even where formats differ, since they compete for the same local advertiser budgets and commuter audience.
• WNCI 97.9 (iHeartMedia Columbus, Alternative Format): Other iHeartMedia-owned radio station operating in the Columbus, Ohio market with a different format. Direct peer in terms of operating geography, parent company, sales structure, and event-driven GTM; competitive overlap is on local ad budget allocation within the same DMA.
• iHeartMedia (Other Country Stations in Network): Sister stations under iHeartMedia operating other country music formats across various U.S. markets (e.g., WUSN Chicago, KKBQ Houston, WYCD Detroit). Directly comparable in format, distribution platform (iHeartRadio), revenue model, and operational structure since they share the same parent, tech stack, and syndicated programming pipeline as WCOL.
• Audacy Country Stations (e.g., WWKA Orlando, KFKF Kansas City): Country music radio stations operated by Audacy, Inc. across multiple U.S. markets. Direct competitors in the same format, competing for the same national ad budgets and country music audience share, with similar event-driven GTM motions and digital streaming extensions through the Audacy app.
• Cumulus Media Country Stations (e.g., WXTU Philadelphia, KPLX Dallas): Country radio stations operated by Cumulus Media across U.S. markets. Directly comparable in format, local event sponsorships, syndicated show distribution, and competition for country listener share, with similar reliance on national network infrastructure and ad sales scale.

Others

• Country Music Association (CMA): Industry trade organization for the country music format, supporting stations and artists through awards, advocacy, and promotional partnerships. Thematically related as an ecosystem enabler that country radio stations like WCOL partner with for events, artist access, and brand alignment rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/iheartradio
• Facebookfacebook.com/iHeartRadio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iheartmedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/iheartradio

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 Wcol