101.5 KPLA

What 101.5 KPLA does

101.5 KPLA (KPLA-FM) is a broadcast radio station operating at 101.5 MHz under Cumulus Media Inc. (NASDAQ: CMLS), serving the Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri market. The station's core product is a live over-the-air FM signal delivering music, news, weather, and entertainment programming, anchored by the weekday morning drive show "Good Mornings with Emily" hosted by Emily Larkin. Distribution is anchored on the FM broadcast footprint and extended through a SoCast Digital-powered website and live-streaming player, with secondary reach via Facebook and X (Twitter) social channels and email newsletter.

Programming is organized around recurring features such as the Wet Nose Wednesday pet-adoption segment (with Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue and Barkin' Barrel Boutique sponsorship), the KPLA Lunchbreak contest (sponsored by Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar), and periodic cash and concert-ticket giveaways such as the July Jackpot Giveaway and Live Nation Summer of Live. The station also runs local community-event coverage for the Columbia/Jefferson City region.

KPLA-FM monetizes almost exclusively through advertising: traditional on-air spots, branded segments/sponsorships, and digital advertising sold to local mid-Missouri businesses and select national advertisers (e.g., Live Nation). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the listener side is free, funded by ad reach. The station operates as a single-market asset within Cumulus Media's national portfolio and participated in a parent-level FCC license transfer-of-control filing on May 20, 2026.

Name

101.5 KPLA

Legal name

Cumulus Media Inc.

Website

https://kpla.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

101.5 KPLA is a broadcast radio station at 101.5 FM in Columbia/Jefferson City, MO, owned by Cumulus Media Inc., delivering music, news, and entertainment programming and selling advertising and sponsorships to local businesses and national brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Radio broadcasting
• FM radio station
• Advertising airtime
• Local entertainment programming
• Contest sweepstakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

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 Revenue: KPLA-FM generates primary revenue through selling advertising airtime to local businesses and national advertisers targeting listeners in the Columbia/Jefferson City, MO market. Advertisers include local restaurants, retailers, and national brands running local campaigns.
2. Sponsored Content/Segments: Branded segments and features such as 'Wet Nose Wednesday' sponsored by Barkin' Barrel Boutique and 'KPLA Lunchbreak' sponsored by Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar generate revenue through sponsorship arrangements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

101.5 KPLA is an FCC-licensed FM radio station serving Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri, broadcasting music, news, weather, and local entertainment programming over-the-air at 101.5 MHz and via a website streaming player. The station runs a weekday morning show, community-focused features (e.g., pet adoption segment), and recurring contests, and monetizes its audience by selling advertising airtime and sponsored segments to local and national businesses.

Product overview

101.5 KPLA is a broadcast radio station owned by Cumulus Media Inc., operating at 101.5 FM in Columbia/Jefferson City, Missouri. The station offers a unified radio broadcasting platform that combines live over-the-air programming with digital streaming services. The core offering includes the KPLA-FM broadcast, the KPLA Listen Live online streaming player, and various promotional programs including the Good Mornings with Emily morning show, Wet Nose Wednesday pet adoption feature, and KPLA Lunchbreak local business promotions. The station also runs periodic contests and sweepstakes with prizes ranging from cash giveaways to concert trip packages, and provides advertising services for local businesses. The integrated SweetDeals platform extends the station's digital presence with local entertainment deals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KPLA-FM Live Radio Broadcast Live, over-the-air FM radio station broadcasting at 101.5 MHz in Columbia/Jefferson City, MO, owned by Cumulus Media Inc., providing music, news, weather, and local entertainment programming to mid-Missouri listeners.
• KPLA Listen Live Streaming Online streaming player on kpla.com that lets listeners worldwide tune in to the KPLA-FM broadcast in real time, with iTunes music purchase integration for the currently playing track.
• KPLA Advertising Advertising services sold to local and national businesses, including on-air spots, digital advertising, and promotional mentions across KPLA-FM broadcast and streaming channels targeting mid-Missouri listeners.
• KPLA Contests and Sweepstakes Recurring radio station contests and sweepstakes with cash and experiential prizes, including local cash giveaways and Live Nation concert trip giveaways, administered through the SoCast Digital platform with listener account registration.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Live NationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026Live Nation partnership for Summer of Live concert promotion. KPLA participates in Live Nation Pick Your Trip Flyaway contest offering concert tickets, travel, and hotel. Partnership enables station to offer premium prize experiences to listeners while Live Nation gains radio marketing reach.
• SoCast DigitalcoreTechnology or IntegrationSoCast Digital provides the station's website platform, contest administration system, streaming technology, and mobile services infrastructure. The station website and contest entry systems are powered by SoCast technology.
• SweetDealsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSweetDeals provides local entertainment deals and discounts promoted on KPLA's website sidebar. Partnership offers KPLA listeners exclusive dining and entertainment deals while driving affiliate revenue.
• Unchained Melodies Dog RescueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeekly Wet Nose Wednesday feature promoting adoptable dogs from Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue. Sponsorship provides rescue visibility while KPLA offers community-focused programming.
• Barkin' Barrel BoutiqueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Wet Nose Wednesday pet adoption feature. Provides promotional support for the weekly segment while gaining brand exposure to pet-loving listeners.
• Ozark Mountain Biscuit and BarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of KPLA Lunchbreak contest. Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar provides catered lunch prize for contest winner and colleagues, gaining brand exposure among mid-Missouri workers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Emmis Communications: US radio operator running stations in major and mid-sized markets plus a podcasting/digital business. Comparable to KPLA on advertising-supported over-the-air broadcast and digital extension, though Emmis focuses on larger markets.
• Salem Communications: US radio operator focused on news/talk and Christian formats plus digital media. Comparable broadcasting model to KPLA (over-the-air + digital + advertising), though programming niche and portfolio scale differ.
• Cox Media Group: Diversified media company with radio stations, TV, and digital advertising platforms. Comparable to KPLA on broadcast advertising and digital monetization, with substantially larger portfolio and cross-media sales capabilities.
• Audacy: Major US radio operator (formerly Entercom/CBS Radio) running hundreds of stations plus the Audacy streaming app. Highly comparable to KPLA's advertising-supported broadcast + digital distribution model; much larger scale and national reach than KPLA.
• Beasley Media Group: Multi-market US radio operator with stations, digital, and events businesses. Compares to KPLA on broadcast + digital monetization model; broader geographic footprint and larger event portfolio than a single Cumulus station.
• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio operator with hundreds of FM/AM stations and the iHeartRadio streaming platform. Direct comparability to KPLA in business model (over-the-air broadcast + digital streaming + advertising/sponsorship), though iHeartMedia operates across many more markets and scales technology investments far beyond a single-market station.

Direct peers

• Townsquare Media: Mid-sized US radio group operating stations in small and mid-sized markets with local programming, digital, and live events. Closely comparable to KPLA in operating profile: locally branded stations in secondary markets, multi-platform distribution, local sponsorship-driven revenue.
• Alpha Media: US radio group operating over 200 stations in mid-sized and small markets. Closely comparable to KPLA in station count per market, local sponsorship-led revenue model, and digital streaming extension of broadcast content.
• Good Karma Brands: Regional radio and digital sports media company operating stations in Midwest markets including Wisconsin. Comparable to KPLA on broadcast + digital distribution, local advertiser focus, and content-driven listener engagement.
• Mid-West Family Broadcasting: Regional radio group operating stations in the Midwest and other US regions. Closely comparable to KPLA as a smaller-market, multi-station operator relying on local sales, sponsorships, and digital streaming for revenue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1015KPLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/101.5KPLA

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 101.5 KPLA