What WWNO does

WWNO (legal entity: New Orleans Public Radio) is a 501(c)(3) non-commercial public radio station founded in 1972 and headquartered on the University of New Orleans campus. It operates FM broadcast on 89.9 with companion digital channels Classical 104.9 and Jazz 89.9 HD3, plus secondary channels WWNO2 and WWNO3, and delivers content globally via internet streaming and on-demand podcasts including Louisiana Considered, Sea Change, Gulf States Gumbo, Road To Rickwood, and What Was Lost.

The station serves the Greater New Orleans market and, through the Gulf States Newsroom partnership co-founded in 2020 with WBHM (Alabama), WRKF (Baton Rouge), Mississippi Public Broadcasting and NPR, extends regional news coverage across the Gulf South (Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi). Programming combines NPR national news, original local journalism (Capitol Access, Coastal Desk), cultural features, classical music, and jazz. Notable editorial credibility includes a national Edward R. Murrow award for Investigative Reporting in the Large Market Radio category.

WWNO's revenue model is the standard public radio mix: recurring listener memberships (approximately 5,000 financial members via spring, fall, and year-end drives plus Sustainer recurring gifts), corporate underwriting sponsorships with paid on-air announcements, Community Service Grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and NPR content syndication. Distribution is entirely free to listeners over-the-air and online; the go-to-market motion is community-led, driven by volunteer ambassador programs and event tabling. Paul Maassen has served as General Manager since March 2008.

Name

WWNO

Legal name

New Orleans Public Radio

Website

https://wwno.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WWNO (New Orleans Public Radio) is a 501(c)(3) non-commercial FM station founded in 1972, broadcasting NPR news, local journalism, classical, and jazz across the Gulf South through 89.9 FM, HD channels, streaming, and podcasts, and funded by ~5,000 listener members, underwriting, and CPB grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• News programming
• Classical music programming
• Jazz programming
• Regional journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener Membership and Donations: WWNO generates revenue through membership programs where listeners contribute financially. The station maintains approximately 5,000 members who support the station through regular contributions, with various giving programs including Sustainers.
2. Corporate Underwriting: WWNO accepts corporate support and underwriting sponsorships from businesses. The station has an underwriting information page and representatives who sell underwriting announcements, which are paid announcements that receive guaranteed rotation unlike free PSAs.
3. Community Service Grant (CSG): WWNO receives Community Service Grant funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Under CPB policy, CSG funds can be used for programming and production, broadcasting transmission and distribution, program information and promotion, fundraising and membership development, underwriting and grant solicitation, management and general, and purchase or improvement of capital assets.
4. NPR Content Syndication: WWNO syndicates NPR news content and participates in content sharing arrangements with NPR and other public radio stations, contributing to the broader public media ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WWNO is a non-commercial public FM radio station that broadcasts news, cultural programming, and music (classical and jazz) to the New Orleans metropolitan area and broader Gulf South region. The station operates multiple FM channels (89.9 WWNO, Classical 104.9, Jazz 89.9 HD3), digital channels (WWNO2, WWNO3), and produces podcasts including Louisiana Considered and Gulf States Gumbo. Content is distributed via over-the-air broadcast, internet streaming, and podcast platforms.

Product overview

WWNO (New Orleans Public Radio) operates as a unified public radio broadcasting platform offering multiple radio channels (WWNO 89.9 FM, Classical 104.9, Jazz 89.9 HD3), digital channels (WWNO2/WWNO3), and a portfolio of podcasts including Louisiana Considered, Sea Change, Gulf State Gumbo, Road To Rickwood, and What Was Lost. The station, operating alongside KTLN-FM, also houses the Gulf States Newsroom regional collaboration and maintains a Coastal Desk reporting unit. Content is delivered across broadcast radio, digital streaming, and on-demand podcast platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WWNO2: Digital WWNO2 schedule launched to complement 89.9 with classical programming
• WWNO3
• Gulf States Newsroom
• Louisiana Considered
• Gulf States Gumbo

Products and services

• WWNO 89.9 FM Main public radio station broadcasting on 89.9 FM frequency, featuring news, information programs, and cultural content for the New Orleans area.
• Classical 104.9 Classical music programming broadcast on 104.9 FM, part of WWNO's music channel lineup.
• Jazz 89.9 HD3 HD radio channel providing all-jazz programming, accessible via HD radio receivers and digital streaming.
• Louisiana Considered Daily news program covering Louisiana politics, education, environment, and cultural topics, updated weekdays.
• Sea Change Podcast Environmental podcast exploring sea change topics and related environmental issues affecting the Gulf Coast region.
• Road To Rickwood Podcast series produced by WWNO covering regional stories.
• What Was Lost Podcast series produced by WWNO covering regional stories and cultural topics.
• Gulf States Gumbo Weekly podcast from the Gulf States Newsroom that packages regional stories for on-demand listening, covering Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
• Gulf States Newsroom Regional news collaboration covering health care, criminal justice, economy and other important issues across the Gulf South.
• WWNO/KTLN Combined public radio service operating on 89.9 FM (WWNO) and 90.5 FM (KTLN-FM), serving the Greater New Orleans area with news, music, and cultural programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• National Edward R. Murrow award for Investigative Reporting in the Large Market Radio category

Named customers2 records

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WRKF (Baton Rouge)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020WWNO and WRKF form a regional newsroom with shared focus to serve the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas. WRKF is the employer for the Gulf States Newsroom News Editor position. The stations collaborate on local editing and share coverage resources.
• Gulf States NewsroomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gulf States Newsroom is a collaboration among public radio stations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, along with NPR. Founded in 2020, it covers important regional stories across the Deep South with a focus on healthcare access, criminal justice, the economy, and underrepresented voices. WWNO serves as one of the Louisiana partner stations in this collaboration.
• WBHM (Birmingham, Alabama)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBHM is the Alabama partner in the Gulf States Newsroom collaboration. WBHM serves as the employer for the Gulf States Newsroom News Editor position, which can be based at any partner station location.
• MPB (Mississippi Public Broadcasting)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPB is the Mississippi partner in the Gulf States Newsroom collaboration, bringing Mississippi Public Broadcasting's resources and audience to the regional newsroom partnership.
• NPR (National Public Radio)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNPR provides national news content to WWNO and distributes Gulf States Newsroom stories to a national audience. WWNO is an NPR member station that carries NPR news programs and contributes regional content for national distribution.
• University of New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWNO is headquartered at the University of New Orleans and operates as New Orleans Public Radio. The university provides physical infrastructure and academic collaboration opportunities.
• KTLN-FMminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKTLN-FM 90.5 is a companion station to WWNO, with combined PSA policies and operations. WWNO/KTLN broadcasts include both stations' programming on 89.9 WWNO and 90.5 KTLN-FM.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWNO has covered the Musicians' Village initiative which was a partnership between Habitat for Humanity and musicians (Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr.) to build affordable housing in the 9th Ward. WWNO's coverage of this community initiative represents editorial collaboration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WBHM (Birmingham, Alabama): Public radio station in Birmingham, Alabama, and a core Gulf States Newsroom partner with WWNO. Operates an NPR member station serving a comparable mid-sized Southern metro with news, talk, and music programming — directly comparable as a regional public radio peer with shared collaborative editorial infrastructure.
• Houston Public Media (KUHF / News 88.7): Public radio and TV broadcaster serving the Houston metro, a comparable large Southern market with Gulf Coast adjacency. Similar nonprofit structure, NPR membership, CPB funding reliance, and multi-channel broadcasting — making it a strong peer for understanding Gulf Coast public radio economics.
• Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB): Mississippi's public broadcasting network and the Mississippi partner in the Gulf States Newsroom. Directly comparable as a regional public radio and public media operator with shared collaborative journalism, similar funding mix (CPB, memberships, underwriting), and overlapping audience in the Gulf South.
• WRKF (Baton Rouge, Louisiana): Public radio station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a Louisiana partner in the Gulf States Newsroom alongside WWNO. Directly comparable NPR member station operating in the same state with a shared regional newsroom and similar audience of public radio listeners in Louisiana.

Broad incumbents

• WAMU 88.5 (Washington, DC): Major NPR member station serving the Washington DC metro with extensive local news (including 1A program), podcast production, and large membership base. Comparable to WWNO as a nonprofit NPR affiliate operating in a metro market with a multi-channel distribution strategy and underwriting + membership revenue.
• WBUR (Boston): Major-market NPR member station in Boston with extensive local news, talk programming, and podcast production. Comparable as a large public radio operator with multiple distribution channels, membership fundraising model, and corporate underwriting — though serving a different metro at substantially greater scale.
• KCRW (Los Angeles): Major NPR-affiliate public radio station in Los Angeles known for music programming, local news, and digital innovation. Comparable to WWNO in operating a multi-format station with classical/jazz content, podcast portfolio, and a member-supported nonprofit business model, though at larger scale.
• WNYC (New York Public Radio): Largest public radio station in the U.S. and flagship NPR member station. Comparable as a major-market public radio operator with multiple channels, podcast portfolio (Radiolab, On the Media), heavy membership model, and underwriting revenue streams — though significantly larger scale than WWNO.
• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network that WWNO is a member of. Comparable as the ecosystem's central content provider and distributor that WWNO both consumes content from and contributes regional stories to via the Gulf States Newsroom — directly comparable as a public radio content and distribution operator.

Regional players

• Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB): Statewide public broadcasting network in Louisiana, providing both radio and television public media across the state. Comparable as a Louisiana-based public media peer with CPB funding reliance and similar programming mission, though primarily television-focused versus WWNO's radio-first approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnpr
• Facebookfacebook.com/899wwno
• Xx.com/WWNO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safe-streets-strong-communities

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 WWNO