Central Florida Public Media

What Central Florida Public Media does

Central Florida Public Media, legally Community Communications, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public media organization headquartered at 11510 E Colonial Drive, Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1980 as 90.7 WMFE, the organization rebranded to Central Florida Public Media in 2023 to reflect its expanded multi-platform mission. It operates two FCC-licensed FM stations — 90.7 WMFE serving the Orlando metropolitan area and 89.5 WMFV serving The Villages, Leesburg, and the Golden Triangle — together reaching approximately 270,000 weekly listeners as of 2018.

The organization's core offering is a multi-platform news and audio ecosystem built on traditional FM broadcast infrastructure, online streaming via cfpublic.org, native iOS and Android mobile applications, smart-speaker integration, and an extensive podcast portfolio. Content combines NPR national programming (Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air) with original local productions including the Are We There Yet? space-exploration podcast (over 1 million downloads), The Wrap, Spotlight, Talking Central Florida, Engage, and Central Florida Seen & Heard, plus vertical-specific reporting desks covering education, government, environment, health, space, and weather. Community engagement is delivered through events such as Space on Tap, StoryCorps' One Small Step partnership, newsletters, and social media.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: individual listener donations and recurring memberships; corporate sponsorship managed through the MarketEnginuity platform; and federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Supplementary revenue comes from community events, a vehicle donation program, and periodic sweepstakes-based fundraising. The organization operates with 11-50 employees under a Board of Trustees governance structure, with LaFontaine E. Oliver serving as President & General Manager. It maintains partnerships with NPR, PRX, BBC, American Public Media, StoryCorps, ProPublica, and the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.

Name

Central Florida Public Media

Legal name

Community Communications, Inc.

Website

https://www.cfpublic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Florida Public Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating dual FM stations (90.7 WMFE Orlando, 89.5 WMFV Ocala) and a multi-platform news and podcast ecosystem serving ~270,000 weekly listeners across Central Florida, funded by listener donations, corporate sponsorships, and CPB federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• Local journalism
• Podcast production
• Nonprofit media
• Community programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations and Membership: Public media funded primarily through listener donations and membership drives. The organization conducts periodic fund drives with pledge campaigns and offers sweepstakes as engagement incentives.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship opportunities offered to businesses seeking association with public media content. Sponsorships are managed through MarketEnginuity platform.
3. CPB Funding: Funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a federal entity that supports public broadcasting stations.
4. Events and Community Programs: Revenue generated through community events such as Space on Tap, Pints for Public Media, and other engagement activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Central Florida Public Media operates two FM radio stations (90.7 WMFE in Orlando and 89.5 WMFV in Ocala/The Villages) producing local journalism, NPR-distributed public radio programming, and original podcasts serving Central Florida communities. Content is distributed via FM broadcast, online streaming, mobile applications, smart speakers, and email newsletters. Revenue is generated through listener donations, corporate sponsorships, and federal CPB funding.

Product overview

Central Florida Public Media operates as a dual-station public radio broadcaster (90.7 FM WMFE in Orlando and 89.5 FM WMFV in Ocala) offering a multi-platform news and entertainment ecosystem. The core offering combines traditional FM radio broadcasting with a comprehensive digital platform including a news website, mobile apps, and live streaming. The portfolio is anchored by local news programming (Intersection, Education Desk) and an extensive podcast network featuring original productions (Are We There Yet?, The Wrap, Spotlight, Talking Central Florida, Engage, Central Florida Seen & Heard) alongside NPR national programs (Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air). Community engagement extends through events (Space on Tap), newsletters, and StoryCorps partnerships, while revenue is generated through donations, corporate sponsorships, and vehicle donation programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Are We There Yet?: Space exploration podcast produced by Central Florida Public Media, launched in 2016.
• The Wrap Podcast
• Engage
• Spotlight
• Talking Central Florida
• Growing Bolder Radio Show
• The Florida Roundup
• Space on Tap

Products and services

• Radio Broadcasting Service (90.7 FM WMFE Orlando / 89.5 FM WMFV Ocala) FM radio broadcasting service transmitting local news, NPR national programming, and public affairs content to the Central Florida region over two stations.
• Online News Platform (cfpublic.org)

Quantifiable outcome

• 270,000 weekly listeners across both stations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NPR (National Public Radio)coreTechnology or IntegrationNPR serves as the primary content provider and national news affiliate for Central Florida Public Media. The organization distributes NPR programming including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, and participates in NPR's network coverage and resources.
• PRX (Public Radio Exchange)coreTechnology or IntegrationPRX serves as a distribution platform for public radio content, providing programming to and from Central Florida Public Media.
• StoryCorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'One Small Step' initiative, allowing Central Florida Public Media to facilitate community storytelling conversations in partnership with StoryCorps.
• ProPublicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative investigative reporting partnership, including coverage of PTSD among first responders following the Pulse shooting.
• Florida Center for Investigative ReportingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership among Florida NPR member stations to investigate climate change impacts on Florida.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WUSF Public Media: Tampa Bay-area public radio station and NPR member affiliate operated by the University of South Florida; comparable Florida-based public media organization with similar funding model, newsroom, and podcast offerings.
• WLRN Public Media: South Florida (Miami) public radio and television broadcaster with NPR affiliation; comparable regional nonprofit public media entity with similar journalism focus and multi-platform distribution.
• WMNF 88.5 Community Radio: Tampa-based community radio station with NPR programming; comparable nonprofit public radio broadcaster operating in the same Florida market with similar listener-supported funding model.
• WJCT Public Media: Jacksonville, Florida public broadcasting station serving Northeast Florida with NPR programming; comparable regional nonprofit public media organization with multi-platform content and listener-supported revenue model.
• WGCU Public Media: Fort Myers-based NPR member station operated by Florida Gulf Coast University; comparable regional public radio broadcaster serving Southwest Florida with similar news, talk, and classical programming mix.

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network that produces flagship programming (Morning Edition, All Things Considered) distributed by Central Florida Public Media; the broader incumbent ecosystem operator and content supplier for the U.S. public media system.
• WGBH Public Media: Major Boston-based public broadcasting organization operating multiple radio stations and producing nationally distributed content (e.g., PRI/PRX); larger established public media entity with comparable nonprofit multi-platform structure but significantly broader scale.
• KCRW: Santa Monica, California-based public radio station with NPR affiliation and strong podcast/digital presence; comparable nonprofit public broadcaster with multi-platform content distribution and corporate sponsorship revenue model.
• WAMU 88.5: Washington, D.C. area NPR member station operated by American University; comparable regional public radio broadcaster with news, talk, and podcast offerings plus listener-supported funding.
• WNYC Public Radio: New York City flagship public radio station and NPR member; comparable nonprofit public media organization producing nationally distributed podcasts (Radiolab, Freakonomics Radio) and operating listener-supported funding model at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cfpublicmedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgNjcXjLpTQGJd6g5A6kyyw
• Facebookfacebook.com/cfpublicmedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfpublicmedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfpublicmedia
• TikToktiktok.com/@cfpublicmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Central Florida Public Media