The North 103.3 FM

Public Radio Broadcastingthenorth1033.org

Company typePrivate
Founded-
HeadquartersDuluth, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

The North 103.3 FM firmographics

Firmographics

Name: The North 103.3 FM
Legal name: The Duluth-Superior Area Educational Television Corporation (WDSE)
Website: https://thenorth1033.org
Company type: Private
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

The North 103.3 FM industry classification

Industry

Product category: Public Radio Broadcasting
NAICS: Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)
SIC: Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
akta.pro primary industry: Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
akta.pro secondary industries: Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

Community radio
Public radio broadcasting
Local music programming
Arts and culture coverage
Listener-supported radio

Where The North 103.3 FM is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Duluth
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

The North 103.3 FM business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

Listener Donations and Membership: Community-supported funding through one-time donations and recurring membership sustainer programs. listeners contribute via online pledge systems and traditional pledge drives.
Underwriting/Sponsorships: Local business underwriting partnerships where organizations sponsor programming segments. Includes sustained upgrades and corporate underwriting packages.
Vehicle and Property Donations: Vehicle donation program and philanthropic giving options for community support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

The North 103.3 FM product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The North 103.3 FM is a community-owned public radio station broadcasting at 103.3 FM to the Northland region (Duluth-Superior and surrounding Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin). It is licensed to The Duluth-Superior Area Educational Television Corporation (WDSE) and delivers locally curated music, regional news, cultural programming, and podcasts via over-the-air broadcast, online live streaming, and on-demand podcast distribution.

Product overview

The North 103.3 FM is a community radio station operated by The Duluth-Superior Area Educational Television Corporation (WDSE), serving the Northland region of Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. The station offers a diverse portfolio of programming centered around music, news, culture, and community engagement. Core offerings include the main radio broadcast featuring locally curated music, the Northland Morning show with news and interviews, The SoundCheck daily music guide, and The Local weekly music spotlight. Additional programs include Back Tracks (music interviews), Hypotheticals (creative conversations), Community Connection (local interviews), Green Visions (environment podcast), Backyard Almanac (nature), Astro Bob's Backyard Astronomy (astronomy), and MN Reads (books). The station also produces Live from Studio A in-studio sessions, the Women's Music Show, and Vinyl-ly Friday. Programming spans genres from indie and folk to blues and classical, with significant focus on local and regional artists. The station is supported by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and maintains a strong online presence through podcasts and live streaming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

The North 103.3 FM (Main Broadcast) Community-owned public radio station broadcasting at 103.3 FM in the Northland region (Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin), featuring locally curated music, regional news, cultural programming, and live streaming online.
Northland Morning Weekday morning radio program featuring news, weather, community interviews, and regional coverage for the Northland audience, including recurring segments like Backyard Almanac and Astro Bob's Backyard Astronomy.
The SoundCheck Daily music guide airing multiple times daily, featuring local and regional live music events, venues, and performances across the Northland. Hosted by Katelyn Brinza.
The Local Weekly local music spotlight showcasing Northland artists, new releases, and in-studio sessions. Broadcast every Wednesday 5pm-7pm, supported by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Live from Studio A In-studio music recording sessions featuring local and regional artists performing live, showcasing Northland creative musical talent.
Women's Music Show Music program featuring works created by women artists, showcasing diverse musical styles and contributions to the Northland music scene.
Vinyl-ly Friday All-vinyl music experience curated by Katelyn Brinza, featuring classic records, deep cuts, and forgotten gems. Airs Fridays at 4:00pm.
Green Visions Podcast focusing on environmental topics, conservation efforts, and outdoor activities in the Lake Superior region.

Companies that use The North 103.3 FM

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

The North 103.3 FM technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

The North 103.3 FM partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

AmperscoreOthersAssociation of Minnesota public radio stations providing network resources, shared programming, and collective representation for member stations.
PBS North (WDSE)coreOthersParent organization - The Duluth-Superior Area Educational Television Corporation operates both The North 103.3 FM and PBS North public television.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

The North 103.3 FM competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Regional players

KQDS-FM (Duluth commercial radio): KQDS-FM is a commercial classic rock station in the Duluth market, sharing the same Northland geography but operating on a for-profit advertising-supported model.
KBFT (Bois Forte Tribal Radio): KBFT is a Native community radio station serving the Bois Forte reservation in Northern Minnesota, part of the broader Northland media landscape. Comparable in scale and community-supported nonprofit structure.
WOJB (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Public Radio): WOJB is a community-supported public radio station in Hayward, Wisconsin, serving the surrounding region with similar programming philosophy and nonprofit ownership model.

Direct peers

WTIP (North Shore Community Radio): WTIP is a community radio station based in Grand Marais, MN, serving the North Shore of Lake Superior. It shares The North 103.3's community-supported, locally-programmed model and overlapping Northland audience.
KFAI (Minneapolis): KFAI is a community volunteer-powered radio station in Minneapolis with a similar locally-curated, listener-supported model emphasizing diverse local voices, music discovery, and community programming.
KAXE (Northern Community Radio): KAXE is a community public radio station serving Northern Minnesota, including the Iron Range and surrounding areas that overlap with The North 103.3's coverage. Both are listener-supported, locally programmed, and share Ampers network affiliation, making them directly comparable.

Broad incumbents

Minnesota Public Radio (MPR): MPR is the dominant statewide public radio network with flagship news, classical, and The Current music programming. While serving a much larger footprint, it is a market incumbent whose reach intersects with The North 103.3's audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

The North 103.3 FM financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

The North 103.3 FM leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

The North 103.3 FM funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

The North 103.3 FM M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The North 103.3 FM

What does The North 103.3 FM do?

Is The North 103.3 FM a public or private company?

The North 103.3 FM is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was The North 103.3 FM founded?

The North 103.3 FM was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is The North 103.3 FM based?

The North 103.3 FM is headquartered in Duluth, United States, in the North America region.

How does The North 103.3 FM make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Listener Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are underwriting/Sponsorships and vehicle and Property Donations.

Who are The North 103.3 FM's main competitors?

Regional players on record are KQDS-FM (Duluth commercial radio), KBFT (Bois Forte Tribal Radio) and WOJB (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Public Radio). Direct peers are WTIP (North Shore Community Radio), KFAI (Minneapolis) and KAXE (Northern Community Radio). Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does The North 103.3 FM have an API?

No public API is recorded for The North 103.3 FM.

What industry is The North 103.3 FM in?

The North 103.3 FM's product category is Public Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPAIADAJ, Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms. Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.