WXRT

What WXRT does

WXRT (marketed as 93XRT) is a Chicago-market FM radio station broadcasting at 93.1 MHz under an Adult Album Alternative (AAA) classic rock format, owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. (NYSE: AUD). The station serves Chicago-area rock music listeners, with programming targeting the 25-54 demographic through curated album-oriented rock, live concert recordings, and on-air personalities. Its distribution architecture spans traditional FM over-the-air broadcast plus digital endpoints including the Audacy mobile application, smart speakers, home entertainment systems, and in-vehicle infotainment integrations, leveraging the parent company's multi-platform distribution stack.

The business model is exclusively advertising-supported with no listener subscription fee. Revenue is generated through on-air commercial inventory, sponsorships, and event sponsorships, including presenting partnerships with major Chicago concert venues (Soldier Field, the Vic Theatre, the Salt Shed, Park West, and Huntington Bank Pavilion) and Lollapalooza. The station does not sell directly to consumers and operates as a B2B advertising platform whose advertisers are Chicago-area and national brands seeking access to the AAA rock listener segment. The station-level operation is staffed by approximately 24 employees.

Name

WXRT

Legal name

Audacy, Inc.

Website

https://wxrt.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WXRT (93XRT) is a Chicago-market FM radio station at 93.1 MHz operating an Adult Album Alternative classic rock format under Audacy, Inc., serving 25-54 year-old rock listeners via broadcast, the Audacy app, smart speakers, and in-vehicle platforms through an advertising-supported model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Rock radio broadcasting
• Fm radio station
• Digital audio streaming
• Concert promotions
• Radio advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Traditional radio advertising model including on-air commercials, sponsorships, and promotional partnerships with local and national advertisers targeting the Chicago metropolitan area rock music audience
2. Event Sponsorships: Concert and event presentations generating revenue through venue partnerships, ticket giveaways, and artist promotion fees

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WXRT is a classic rock (Adult Album Alternative / AAA format) commercial radio station broadcasting on 93.1 FM in the Chicago metropolitan area. It delivers locally-produced rock music programming, live concert archives, Chicago news, weather, sports updates, and concert/event promotions through over-the-air FM broadcast and Audacy's digital streaming platform across mobile, smart speaker, home entertainment, and in-vehicle systems. The station generates revenue through on-air advertising and event sponsorship arrangements rather than charging listeners directly.

Product overview

WXRT-FM (93XRT) is a commercial radio station in Chicago, Illinois, broadcasting on 93.1 FM as an Adult Album Alternative (AAA) rock format. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station provides traditional AM/FM radio broadcast along with live streaming through Audacy's digital platform. The station's content offering includes live music programming, local news coverage, concert event promotion, and occasional contests and giveaways. The station does not offer a distinct standalone technology product but rather operates as a broadcast media service distributed through Audacy's multi-platform audio network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 93XRT (WXRT-FM) Radio Broadcast Service 24/7 Adult Album Alternative (AAA) rock format radio station broadcasting at 93.1 MHz, serving the Chicago metropolitan area with locally-produced rock music programming, Chicago news, weather, sports updates, live concert archives, and event promotions. Delivered over-the-air via FM broadcast and digitally through the Audacy platform on mobile apps, smart speakers, home entertainment devices, and in-vehicle systems. Targeted at adult rock music listeners aged 25-54 in the Chicago metro area and sold to advertisers as a reach vehicle.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Lin Brehmer Scholars FundminorOthersBenefit partnership supporting education through the Hometown Celebration event. The station serves as a platform for fundraising and awareness for this local scholarship initiative benefiting students in the Chicago area.
• Lollapalooza FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership covering the major Chicago music festival with ticket giveaways and artist interviews. The station provides coverage and promotion in exchange for festival access and promotional opportunities.
• Soldier FieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert venue partnership for major stadium shows including Foo Fighters performances. Station presents shows and offers ticket giveaways to listeners.
• Vic TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMid-size concert venue partnership for intimate performances. Station presents shows including Joy Oladokun and Jim James performances with promotional support.
• Huntington Bank PavilionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutdoor venue partnership for summer concert programming including Young the Giant performances.
• The Salt ShedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago music venue partnership for concert presentations including Orville Peck performances.
• Park WestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert venue partnership for performances including Michael Franti Trio shows.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• WXPN (University of Pennsylvania): Philadelphia-based AAA-format radio station with a similarly strong local-content identity and heritage programming philosophy. Closely comparable in format, audience profile, and locally-rooted music curation strategy.
• KCRW: LA-based public radio station with an eclectic AAA-leaning music blend and leading digital streaming presence. Comparable in multi-platform distribution, music programming, and event-driven audience engagement.
• KEXP: Seattle-based AAA/alternative radio station widely considered the gold standard for the format. Directly comparable in audience (music discovery-focused 25-54), live session archive strategy, and digital-first streaming presence.
• WFUV (Fordham University): NYC-based AAA format station with a comparable blend of alternative, classic rock, and local artist support. Similar in programming philosophy of championing emerging and heritage artists alongside locally relevant content.

Broad incumbents

• SiriusXM: Satellite and streaming audio incumbent with multiple rock and AAA-adjacent channels. Competes for the same listener time and ad budgets at a national scale, and increasingly infiltrates automotive listening environments where WXRT also competes.
• Cumulus Media: Major US radio operator with comparable AAA, alternative, and classic rock stations across multiple markets. Similar business model in ad-supported broadcast plus digital distribution via its streaming platform.
• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster and operator of the iHeartRadio app. Directly comparable in terrestrial broadcasting, digital streaming distribution, and event sponsorship, and an industry peer operating at vastly larger scale.

Others

• Audacy (Other Chicago Stations - WBBM 780, 104.3 The Score, B96): Sister stations within the same Audacy Chicago cluster, sharing infrastructure, sales force, and digital platform. Not format competitors but ecosystem allies that share overhead, advertising inventory, and technical resources with WXRT.

Regional players

• WDRV 97.1 The Drive (Chicago): Chicago classic rock station operating in the same metro as WXRT. While its format is broader classic rock versus WXRT's AAA, the two compete for the same rock-leaning 25-54 demo and ad budgets.
• 101.9 WKQX (Chicago): Chicago-market alternative rock station in a directly overlapping format and audience. Serves the same Chicago metropolitan area with adjacent rock programming, representing a direct in-market competitor for rock listeners and advertising dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/93xrt
• Facebookfacebook.com/93XRT
• Instagraminstagram.com/93xrt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wxrt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 WXRT