WVBR 93.5 FM

What WVBR 93.5 FM does

WVBR 93.5 FM is a local commercial radio station headquartered at 604 E Buffalo St., Ithaca, New York, broadcasting on the 93.5 FM frequency to seven counties in upstate New York (Tompkins, Tioga, Cortland, Cayuga, Seneca, Schuyler, and Chemung). The station is operated by Cornell Media Guild, Inc., a nonprofit student organization that is registered with but independent of Cornell University; the station was founded in 1935 and is staffed primarily by student volunteers. Its programming is branded 'Ithaca's Alternative' and centers on alternative music, local news, Cornell Big Red sports coverage, weather, and specialty shows including Bound for Glory, the longest running folk radio show in North America.

The station's product surface spans a traditional FM broadcast complemented by a 24/7 live web player, a 2-3 day browsable song history with song-request functionality, live listener chat, on-demand podcasts (Big Red Banter, Talk of the Town: After Hours, Bound for Glory, SALSUMBO), a local news division, sports coverage, weather updates, and a community concert/event calendar. Distribution is multi-channel: terrestrial FM, the station's own website, third-party streaming platforms (Live365, TuneIn), podcast directories, and social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Mixcloud. Merchandise (vintage caps at $32.99 and jerseys at $24.99) is sold through an online storefront.

WVBR's revenue model rests on three streams: (1) local advertising and sponsorships sold by a dedicated Sales Manager on quote-based monthly packages to Ithaca-area businesses and organizations; (2) listener donations via crowdfunding campaigns on the Cornell crowdfunding platform; and (3) merchandise sales. There are no publicly disclosed ad rates, no subscription product, and no enterprise contracts. The advertising sales motion is high-touch (single named sales contact) targeting SMB advertisers in a defined regional market, and the station's primary audience segments are the Ithaca/upstate New York community and Cornell students, with local businesses as the paying customer segment.

Name

WVBR 93.5 FM

Legal name

Cornell Media Guild, Inc.

Website

https://wvbr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WVBR 93.5 FM is a student-run, nonprofit commercial radio station in Ithaca, NY, broadcasting alternative music, local news, and Cornell sports to seven upstate New York counties and streaming globally via Live365 and TuneIn.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local 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 industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)

Keywords

• Commercial radio broadcasting
• Alternative music programming
• Local news coverage
• Sports radio broadcasting
• Community radio station

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorships: Local businesses and organizations purchase advertising slots to promote their products, services, or events to the Ithaca community and surrounding counties
2. Listener Donations: Crowdfunding campaigns and donations from listeners to support the station's operations and the Cornell Media Guild's student media initiatives
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts and caps through the WVBR shop

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WVBR 93.5 FM is a local commercial radio station broadcasting an alternative music format from Ithaca, New York to seven surrounding counties, available 24/7 via FM and online streaming. The station complements its music programming with local news, sports coverage (including Cornell Big Red athletics), podcasts, weather updates, and community event listings. It generates revenue through local advertising sales, listener donations, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

WVBR 93.5 FM is a local commercial radio station serving Ithaca, New York, operated by the Cornell Media Guild as a student-run non-profit organization. The station offers a multi-platform media portfolio centered on its 93.5 FM alternative music broadcast, complemented by live online streaming through web player, song history tracking, and podcast/on-demand content including Big Red Banter sports show and SALSUMBO Latin music show. The station provides local news reporting, sports coverage, weather updates, and community concert/event listings. Additional services include advertising opportunities for local businesses and a merchandise shop selling branded apparel. Content is distributed across multiple streaming platforms including Live365 and TuneIn, with social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Mixcloud, and SoundCloud.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Electric Buffalo Records: Record label operated by Cornell Media Guild, supporting student-run media at Cornell.
• Cornell Radio
• Cornell Media Guild

Products and services

• WVBR 93.5 FM Live Radio Broadcast Traditional FM radio broadcast on the 93.5 MHz frequency delivering an alternative music format branded as "Ithaca's Alternative" to listeners across seven Upstate New York counties.
• WVBR Podcasts

Quantifiable outcome

• Broadcasts 24/7 with availability on multiple streaming platforms including Live365 and TuneIn

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WHRW 90.5 FM: Binghamton University's student-run radio station in upstate New York. Directly comparable as a college-operated freeform/alternative FM station with similar training-ground mission, format, and upstate NY regional reach.
• WXPN 88.5 FM: University of Pennsylvania's public radio station operating an adult album alternative format. Comparable to WVBR as a university-affiliated non-commercial alternative-music station with strong live-music programming and podcast content.
• WKCR 89.9 FM: Columbia University's student-run radio station in New York City. Comparable as a college-operated nonprofit FM station with diverse specialty programming, news coverage, and a similar student-volunteer operating model.
• WFMU 91.1 FM: Listener-supported freeform/non-commercial radio station in New Jersey. Comparable to WVBR in alternative/freeform format, nonprofit listener-funded model, and emphasis on community-driven specialty programming.
• WICB 91.7 FM: Ithaca College's student-run radio station operating in the same Ithaca, NY market as WVBR. Directly comparable as a college-operated alternative/community FM station competing for the same local listener and advertiser base.
• WRVU 91.1 FM: Vanderbilt University's student-run radio station. Comparable to WVBR as a college-operated, nonprofit, alternative-format FM station run primarily by student volunteers with similar training-ground mission.
• KEXP 90.3 FM: Seattle-based non-commercial alternative music radio station originally founded by University of Washington. Comparable to WVBR as a nonprofit alternative-format station with strong streaming distribution, podcast network, and live session content.
• WHRB 95.3 FM: Harvard Radio Broadcasting Co., one of the oldest college radio stations in the U.S. Comparable to WVBR as a student-run, nonprofit, college-operated FM station with classical/alternative programming and a similar educational/training mission.

Regional players

• Townsquare Media: Operator of numerous local radio stations across upstate New York and the broader Northeast, including alternative and rock formats. Comparable as a regional radio operator competing for local advertising budgets in markets overlapping WVBR's coverage area.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio operator with hundreds of stations across multiple formats and markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same local and national digital audio ad budgets that WVBR depends on, while offering much greater scale and bundled digital reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wvbr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZrX5p99giknvDoMLm-7Ngw
• Facebookfacebook.com/WVBRFM
• Instagraminstagram.com/wvbrfm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wvbr-93.5-fm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

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 WVBR 93.5 FM