ALT 98.7 FM

What ALT 98.7 FM does

ALT 98.7 FM (FCC call sign KYSR) is an alternative rock radio station broadcasting on the 98.7 FM frequency in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Launched in 2017, the station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. (NYSE: IHRT), the largest radio broadcasting company in the United States. The station programs 24/7 alternative rock music, local and national news, entertainment content, and signature personality-driven shows led by The Woody Show morning drive franchise, with additional on-air shows including Nicole Alvarez, Booker and Stryker, Christen Limon, Alessandra Bea, and Danica Lopez's 'She Is The Voice.' Its audience is Los Angeles-area adults seeking alternative rock music, local entertainment, and commute-time engagement.

The core technical and product infrastructure combines traditional FM broadcast with iHeartMedia's iHeartRadio digital ecosystem — providing live streaming through the iHeartRadio mobile app and website, on-demand podcast distribution, and station website content. The product portfolio extends beyond linear broadcast into a podcast slate (The Woody Show, The Woody Show Interviews, She Is The Voice, Tuna on Toast with Stryker) and multi-platform social engagement across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Content distribution is omnichannel: over-the-air 98.7 FM, iHeartRadio streaming, station website, social profiles, and email newsletter (ALT VIP).

Revenue is generated primarily through advertising — selling airtime to businesses targeting the LA alternative rock listener demographic, monetizing podcast inventory, and running contest/promotion campaigns (notably concert ticket giveaways tied to local venues). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; advertisers must contact the station's advertising team directly. Standalone station revenue is not reported publicly; financial performance is consolidated within iHeartMedia, Inc., which itself emerged from Chapter 11 restructuring in 2019 following a 2018 filing.

Name

ALT 98.7 FM

Legal name

iHeartMedia, Inc.

Website

https://alt987fm.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ALT 98.7 FM (KYSR) is a Los Angeles alternative rock radio station owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., broadcasting music, signature morning drive personality shows (The Woody Show), podcasts, and local content to LA-metro listeners via 98.7 FM and the iHeartRadio streaming platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC), Radio Network Distribution & Programming Services (Syndicators, Format Providers) (MPAIAEAH), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Alternative rock radio
• FM broadcasting
• Radio advertising
• Music streaming
• Podcast content

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising: ALT 98.7 generates revenue through selling advertising airtime to businesses seeking to reach its Los Angeles alternative rock listener demographic. Advertisers can advertise directly with the station.
2. Podcast Content: The station produces multiple podcasts including The Woody Show and She Is The Voice, generating audience engagement and potential advertising or subscription revenue through the iHeartRadio platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ALT 98.7 FM (KYSR) is a Los Angeles-based alternative rock radio station that broadcasts music, entertainment programming, and local news over the 98.7 FM frequency. The station delivers content through traditional FM radio, digital streaming via the iHeartRadio platform, and on-demand podcasts, featuring flagship shows such as The Woody Show and additional programming from Nicole Alvarez, Booker and Stryker, Christen Limon, Alessandra Bea, and Danica Lopez.

Product overview

ALT 98.7 FM (KYSR) is a Los Angeles-based alternative rock radio station operated by iHeartMedia. The station offers a unified product combining traditional FM radio broadcasting with digital streaming via iHeartRadio. Its portfolio includes flagship programming like The Woody Show, along with additional shows (Nicole Alvarez, Booker and Stryker, Christen Limon, Alessandra Bea, Danica Lopez), podcasts (The Woody Show, The Woody Show Interviews, She Is The Voice, Tuna on Toast with Stryker), and music content through recently played tracks and playlists. Listeners can access content via FM radio, the iHeartRadio app, and the station website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Woody Show: Morning radio show hosted by Woody, broadcast on ALT 98.7 FM. Includes blog, podcast, and interviews.
• She Is The Voice
• Out of Order with Stryker

Products and services

• ALT 98.7 FM Radio Broadcast Los Angeles-based alternative rock radio station (KYSR) broadcasting music, news, and entertainment content via FM radio frequency 98.7 to listeners in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.
• The Woody Show Flagship morning radio show and podcast featuring entertainment commentary, interviews, and popular opinions, available as a live broadcast and on-demand podcast.
• She Is The Voice Radio show and podcast hosted by Danica Lopez featuring female voices in alternative rock music and entertainment content.
• Tuna on Toast with Stryker Podcast hosted by Stryker featuring interviews and entertainment discussions, available on the iHeartRadio podcast platform.
• iHeartRadio Live Stream Live audio streaming of ALT 98.7 FM broadcast via the iHeartRadio app and website, enabling listeners to tune in online from anywhere.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• iHeartMedia, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALT 98.7 FM is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc., America's #1 Audio Company. The station operates under the iHeartMedia corporate umbrella, utilizing the iHeartRadio platform for digital streaming and podcast distribution. This is a parent-subsidiary relationship where iHeartMedia provides the platform infrastructure, advertising sales network, and operational support for the station.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SiriusXM: SiriusXM is the dominant satellite and streaming audio subscription service in the US, offering curated commercial-free music channels including alternative rock programming. It competes with FM radio for in-car and mobile listenership and represents the broader audio landscape ALT 98.7 operates within.
• Cumulus Media: Cumulus Media is a major US commercial radio operator with stations across multiple formats and markets. As a peer to iHeartMedia at the corporate level, Cumulus competes for the same pool of brand advertising and shares the same secular dynamics around terrestrial radio, making it a structurally comparable incumbent to ALT 98.7's parent operator.
• Audacy: Audacy is one of the largest US commercial radio broadcasters (formerly Entercom/CBS Radio), owning KROQ and other major-market stations. It competes with iHeartMedia for national advertising budgets and digital audio scale, making it the closest large-format incumbent peer to ALT 98.7's parent.
• iHeartMedia: iHeartMedia is the publicly traded parent company of ALT 98.7 and America's largest radio broadcaster, operating hundreds of stations and the iHeartRadio digital platform. While not a peer in the head-to-head sense, it sets the strategic, platform, and capital allocation context that determines ALT 98.7's trajectory.

Others

• TuneIn: TuneIn is a digital audio aggregation platform that streams thousands of radio stations including ALT 98.7 itself. It functions as a distribution and discovery layer for broadcast radio, comparable in role to the iHeartRadio app, and competes for digital audio ad inventory adjacent to ALT 98.7's streaming audience.
• Spotify: Spotify is the dominant global music streaming subscription service with curated alternative rock stations and major podcast operations. It does not directly compete in the FM broadcast space but is the primary secular alternative pulling listener and ad share away from traditional radio stations like ALT 98.7.

Direct peers

• KROQ 106.7 FM: KROQ is the iconic alternative rock station in the Los Angeles market and ALT 98.7's most direct head-to-head competitor. Both stations target LA alternative rock listeners with morning shows, live event tie-ins, and digital streaming, competing for the same advertiser budgets and audience share in the LA DMA.
• KCRW 89.9 FM: KCRW is a Santa Monica-based public radio station with a strong indie/alternative music programming block. It overlaps with ALT 98.7 on the alternative/indie listener demographic in the LA market and operates its own podcast and digital ecosystem, making it a direct format competitor for both listeners and culturally relevant advertising.

Regional players

• KEXP 90.3 FM: KEXP is a Seattle-based non-commercial alternative/indie radio station with a strong national digital footprint via streaming and YouTube. While it does not directly compete in the LA DMA, it targets the same alternative/indie listener psychographic and is often cited as a peer in alternative rock radio.

Emerging players

• Pandora: Pandora is a leading US digital music streaming service owned by SiriusXM with curated alternative rock stations. It overlaps with ALT 98.7 on the alt-rock listener and competes for the same advertising and engagement dollars in the LA market via mobile and connected devices.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ALT987fm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqlsXJpAOICV20pxH2knYXw?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/ALT987fm
• Instagraminstagram.com/ALT987fm

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 ALT 98.7 FM