Sticks Media

What Sticks Media does

Sticks Media is a privately held broadcast media company that owns and operates a portfolio of small-to-mid market FM radio stations across the United States and sells programming, consulting, and advertising services to broadcasters, advertisers, and listeners. Its core technology is traditional FM radio broadcast infrastructure supplemented by station websites and digital streaming, with no proprietary platform or software product disclosed; the company website is powered by the third-party Aiir CMS. The owned station portfolio comprises five FCC-licensed signals across four states: Rocket 103.7 KTNK (Lompoc, CA — Classic Hits), 93.5 Lake FM WLGR (Lake George/Glens Falls, NY), 97.1 The Lake KAYQ (Warsaw, MO — Country Hits), 102.5 Mountain FM KMSO (Missoula, MT — Hot AC), and Rocket 108 KHDV (Darby/Hamilton, MT — Classic Hits), reaching a reported 350,000 daily listeners. The company is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has 1-10 employees, and is sole-owned by founder Todd Nixon, a broadcaster with 30+ years of industry experience.

Sticks Media generates revenue through three streams. First, radio advertising sales on owned stations targeting local and regional businesses, leveraging the structural reach of broadcast (cited at 92% weekly U.S. adult reach). Second, professional services under 'The Sticks Sound' brand — including custom music formats, voice-tracked talent, imaging and branding, clock/rotation design, and strategic consulting — sold to other station owners and streaming platforms. Third, station acquisitions funded via cash, owner financing, or lease-to-own structures, generating post-close operating revenue; the most recent Montana deal was structured at $255,000 with monthly installments plus a percentage of gross sales. The go-to-market combines sales-led direct outreach to station owners for acquisitions and service contracts with a direct-to-consumer audience model for listener reach, supported by earned media in industry trade publications (Barrett Media, Radio Insight, Inside Radio) and a lean LinkedIn and website presence. Pricing is quote-based across both advertising and professional services, with no standardized tiers disclosed.

The company's strategic posture is a programmatic roll-up of small-to-mid market stations in markets where retiring owners create supply, with creative deal structures that enable acquisitions without disclosed external capital. Since July 2023, Sticks Media has acquired stations from Cross and Crown Broadcasting (KTNK), Loud Media (WLGR), Valkyrie Broadcasting (KAYQ), and Sheila Callahan & Friends Inc. (KMSO and KHDV), typically relaunching or repositioning formats under the Rocket, Lake FM, or Mountain FM brand families. The model is essentially an owner-operated boutique broadcast group combined with a programming services arm, executed by a single founder-led team with minimal headcount and no disclosed outside investors.

Name

Sticks Media

Legal name

Sticks Media LLC

Website

https://sticksmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sticks Media is a Kansas City-based private broadcast media company that owns and operates five small-to-mid market FM radio stations across California, New York, Missouri, and Montana, reaching 350,000 daily listeners, while also selling programming, consulting, and station-acquisition services to other broadcasters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB)

Keywords

• Radio broadcasting services
• Radio station operations
• Broadcast programming consulting
• Radio advertising solutions
• Small market radio

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising Sales: The company generates revenue through selling advertising spots on its radio stations to local and regional businesses. Radio ads are sold based on audience reach and demographic targeting across diverse programming.
2. Programming and Consulting Services: Sticks Media provides hands-on consulting, full-service programming, brand development, and creative management for radio stations, streaming platforms, and media companies. Services include custom music formats, voice-tracked talent, imaging and branding, and strategic consulting.
3. Station Acquisitions: The company acquires radio stations from owners looking to exit, offering creative deal structures including cash purchases, owner financing, or lease-to-own arrangements. Revenue is generated through station operations post-acquisition.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sticks Media is a broadcast media company that acquires, owns, and operates small-to-mid market FM radio stations across multiple U.S. states. In addition to its owned-station portfolio (KTNK, WLGR, KAYQ, KMSO, KHDV), the company provides full-service programming, hands-on consulting, brand development, voice-tracked talent, imaging and creative management services to other radio stations, streaming platforms, and media companies, as well as radio advertising solutions for local businesses.

Product overview

Sticks Media is a broadcast media company operating a portfolio of radio stations across the United States, including Rocket 103.7 (KTNK) in Lompoc, CA, 93.5 Lake FM (WLGR) in New York, 97.1 The Lake (KAYQ) in Missouri, Rocket 108 (KHDV) in Montana, and 102.5 Mountain-FM (KMSO) in Montana. The company also provides supplementary services including The Sticks Sound programming services (custom music formats, voice-tracked talent, imaging and branding), station acquisition advisory, and radio advertising solutions for businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rocket 103.7: Classic Hits radio station serving Lompoc - Santa Maria, California (KTNK 103.7 FM)
• 93.5 Lake FM
• 97.1 The Lake
• 102.5 Mountain FM
• Rocket 108
• The Sticks Sound

Products and services

• Rocket 103.7 (KTNK) Classic Hits FM radio station at 103.7 FM serving Lompoc and Santa Maria, California.
• 93.5 Lake FM (WLGR) FM radio station at 93.5 FM serving Lake George, Glens Falls, and Queensbury, New York.
• 97.1 The Lake (KAYQ) Country Hits FM radio station at 97.1 FM serving Warsaw, Truman Lake, and Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
• Rocket 108 (KHDV) Classic Hits FM radio station at 107.9 FM serving the Bitterroot Valley (Darby/Hamilton), Montana.
• 102.5 Mountain-FM (KMSO) Hot Adult Contemporary FM radio station at 102.5 FM serving Missoula, Montana.
• The Sticks Sound Programming Services Full-service programming offering for radio stations, streaming platforms, and media companies, including custom music formats, voice-tracked talent, clock and rotation design, imaging and branding, weekly music updates, and strategic consulting.
• Station Acquisition Services Service for acquiring small-to-mid market radio stations from owners seeking to exit, offering creative deal structures including cash purchases, owner financing, or lease-to-own arrangements.
• Radio Advertising Services Radio advertising solutions for brands and local businesses, offering targeted ad placement across Sticks Media's station portfolio, local presence, wide reach (92% of U.S. adults weekly), and creative flexibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reached weekly by radio

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sheila Callahan & Friends Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2025Sticks Media acquired two legacy Montana radio stations (KMSO and KHDV) from Sheila Callahan & Friends Inc. after the previous owners retired. The seller retains the right to match any future sale of the stations within five years of closing, indicating an ongoing relationship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Salem Communications: Salem (now Salem Media Group) operates a smaller portfolio of radio stations (talk, Christian, news) plus digital and podcasting assets. Like Sticks Media, Salem focuses on niche, non-mainstream formats rather than mass-market CHR/pop stations.
• Beasley Media Group: Beasley is a mid-sized publicly traded operator of AM/FM radio stations in mid-sized markets with a comparable cluster-and-format strategy. A relevant peer for evaluating Sticks Media's roll-up economics and capital structure.
• Townsquare Media: Townsquare is a publicly traded owner-operator of small and mid-market radio stations across the U.S., with programming services and live event businesses. It is the closest large-scale analog to Sticks Media's strategy of acquiring and revitalizing small-market stations in secondary geographies.
• Empower Media Group: Empower Media Group operates small- and mid-market radio stations and provides related media services, with a comparable diversified portfolio approach. Relevant as a comparable operator profile to Sticks Media.
• Alpha Media: Alpha Media operates a portfolio of more than 200 radio stations concentrated in mid-sized U.S. markets, with comparable focus on local content and advertiser relationships. Comparable in market-segment focus and operating footprint to Sticks Media's small-mid market platform.

Emerging players

• Educational Media Foundation (K-LOVE / Air1): EMF operates one of the largest networks of non-commercial radio stations in the U.S. across music and faith formats. Comparable to Sticks Media as a multi-station owner-operator with strong station-level branding and talent moats.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: iHeartMedia is the largest U.S. radio broadcaster with thousands of stations, large-scale digital and podcast platforms, and national ad sales capabilities. It represents the broader incumbent competitive backdrop Sticks Media operates within for audience share and ad budgets.
• Audacy: Audacy is a major U.S. radio operator with stations across large and mid-sized markets and a digital streaming platform. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the radio space where Sticks Media competes for audience and ad share.
• Cumulus Media: Cumulus Media is one of the largest U.S. radio broadcasters with both small and major market stations plus a podcast network (Westwood One). It is a competitive incumbent and a potential acquirer of small-market stations Sticks Media may roll up.

Regional players

• Forever Media: Forever Media is a privately held, family-run owner of small-market radio stations primarily in Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic markets. Closely mirrors the Sticks Media "experienced operator rolling up overlooked small-market stations" model, albeit with a regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sticksmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sticks Media