KQAL

What KQAL does

KQAL is a non-commercial educational FM radio station operating at 89.5 MHz under the Winona State University Mass Communication Department, broadcasting from studios in Phelps Hall on the WSU campus in Winona, Minnesota. Founded in December 1975, the station was originally a 10-watt laboratory for the WSU Speech Department and has been staffed primarily by students throughout its 50-year history. It broadcasts 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, serving southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin with a 2,500-watt signal from a 466-foot transmitter tower in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Programming spans jazz, rock, public affairs, arts and culture content, and Winona State Warriors athletics play-by-play broadcasts.

The station operates a multi-platform distribution model combining FM radio, HD Radio digital broadcasting (Winona's first, launched October 2020), Icecast streaming via its website, native iOS and Android mobile applications, smart speaker voice activation, and on-demand podcasts distributed through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Core broadcast technology includes BSI Simian automation, Axia Element consoles with Livewire IP audio distribution, and Orban Optimod PC 1100 sound processing. KQAL is the only station in the Winona market transmitting full song/artist data via RDS.

KQAL's revenue model is non-commercial and institutional. The station is funded through Winona State University's Mass Communication Department, listener donations (including car donations via Careasy), and competitive grants from the State of Minnesota's Legacy arts and cultural heritage fund (aCHF) and general fund equipment/community service grants. Content is free-to-air with no subscription or advertising pricing. The station serves as both a community broadcaster and a career-training laboratory for WSU students, with many alumni placed into part-time roles at other regional radio stations in the Winona/La Crosse/Rochester area.

Name

KQAL

Legal name

KQAL-FM 89.5

Website

https://kqal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KQAL is a non-commercial educational FM radio station (89.5 MHz) operated by Winona State University's Mass Communication Department, broadcasting 24/7 to southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin with jazz, rock, public affairs, and WSU Warriors athletics programming, plus HD Radio, streaming, mobile apps, and podcasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational / Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV) (MPABACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Digital Radio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+, HD Radio) (MPAIAEAD), Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)

Keywords

• Community radio station
• College radio broadcasting
• Educational radio programming
• Music and arts radio
• Sports radio broadcast

Headquarters

HQ city

Winona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. University Funding: KQAL is operated by Winona State University's Mass Communication Department and receives institutional support
2. Listener Donations: The station accepts car donations and other contributions to support operations; alumni and community members can donate online
3. Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund Grants: KQAL applies for State of Minnesota Legacy arts and cultural heritage fund (aCHF) grants and general fund equipment and community service grants

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KQAL operates a non-commercial educational FM radio station at 89.5 MHz HD, broadcasting music programming (jazz, rock), public affairs, arts and culture, and Winona State Warriors athletics play-by-play 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The station doubles as a hands-on broadcasting training laboratory for Winona State University Mass Communication students, while serving as the primary independent local radio source for southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin residents. Content is distributed across FM/HD broadcast, live online streaming, native mobile apps, smart speakers, and on-demand podcasts.

Product overview

KQAL operates as a single full-service radio station product (89.5 FM HD) with supplementary digital and content extensions. The core offering is live broadcast radio programming featuring music, public affairs, and sports content. Digital extensions include a mobile application (iOS/Android) for streaming, an on-demand podcast portfolio (Art Beat, The Sound, The Live Feed, Don't Cha Know) distributed via Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and HD Radio digital broadcasting for enhanced audio quality. Sports content, particularly Winona State Warriors athletics, represents a significant programming pillar. The station serves Winona State University students and the broader Winona community across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KQAL 89.5 FM HD Radio Broadcast Full-service non-commercial HD independent radio station broadcasting from Winona State University at 89.5 MHz FM, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at 2,500 watts effective radiated power. Programming includes jazz and rock music, public affairs, arts and culture coverage, and Winona State Warriors athletics play-by-play.
• KQAL Mobile App

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 years of continuous broadcast service to the Winona community (since 1975)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NBC News RadiocoreTechnology or Integration · 31 August 2020NBC News Radio provides top-of-the-hour news broadcasts 24/7, replacing previous provider Westwood One Radio Network (which discontinued service in summer 2020). The service premiered on KQAL on 8/31/20, maintaining continuous news availability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WSUW 91.7 FM (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater): UW-Whitewater student-run college radio station serving a regional Wisconsin audience with comparable non-commercial, music/public-affairs programming.
• KCLC 89.1 FM (Lindenwood University): Lindenwood University college radio station running a non-commercial, student-staffed format with similar small-market reach and dual education/community mission.
• WPRB 103.3 FM (Princeton University): Princeton University college radio station with a long-running non-commercial, student-staffed format featuring eclectic music, public affairs, and sports coverage, comparable mission and multi-platform distribution.
• WXYC 89.3 FM (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill): UNC Chapel Hill student-run college radio station with a long history of eclectic music programming and a comparable volunteer-driven operating model.
• WHRB 95.3 FM (Harvard Radio Broadcasting): Harvard University student-run college radio station with non-commercial classical, jazz, and rock programming, plus a comparable dual mission of broadcast service and student career training.
• KMSU Radio (Minnesota State University, Mankato): College radio station operated by Minnesota State University, Mankato with a comparable non-commercial, student-staffed model serving a similarly sized regional Minnesota market. Closest direct analogue to KQAL.
• KVSC 88.1 FM (St. Cloud State University): Minnesota-based college radio station with a similar public-affairs, music, and community-service mission, operated by a state university Mass Communication program. Comparable scale and stakeholder model.

Broad incumbents

• KEXP 90.3 FM (University of Washington): Originally a University of Washington college radio station that has scaled into a nationally recognized non-commercial music broadcaster. Represents the path a college radio model can take with community-support scaling and stream-first distribution.
• Minnesota Public Radio (MPR News / YourClassical): Regional public radio network that dominates Minnesota radio audiences with classical, news, and talk programming. Represents the dominant incumbent that KQAL's classical/jazz and public affairs lineup competes against in the broader market.

Regional players

• KFAI 90.3 FM (Minneapolis): Minnesota-based non-commercial community radio offering volunteer-driven programming with niche music and public affairs content. Operates in a larger market but shares the non-commercial, listener-supported model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kqal895
• Facebookfacebook.com/KQAL89.5
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kqal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 KQAL