News/Talk 1130 WISN

What News/Talk 1130 WISN does

News/Talk 1130 WISN is a Milwaukee-market AM radio station operating on 1130 kHz, broadcasting since 1927 and rebranded into the News/Talk format in 2017. The station is wholly owned and operated by iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc., a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: IHRT), and functions as a local affiliate within iHeartMedia's national radio network. Programming consists of a mix of locally produced talk shows (The Jay Weber Show, Dan O'Donnell, Mark Belling, Vicki McKenna) and syndicated conservative talk and lifestyle programming (Sean Hannity, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton, Mark Levin, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory), supplemented by local news, traffic, weather, and community event coverage.

The station's product surface extends well beyond the AM signal. WISN distributes content through the iHeartRadio streaming platform, an on-demand podcast library of more than 30 named shows available via the iHeart podcast network, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and smart speaker integrations with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Revenue is generated primarily through spot advertising on the AM broadcast, supplemented by digital advertising across web, mobile app, and podcast inventory, plus event sponsorships at Milwaukee community events such as Festa Italiana and Milwaukee Irish Fest. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The station targets adult commuters and politically engaged listeners in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and southeastern Wisconsin, serving both local SMB advertisers and national brand buyers routed through iHeartMedia's national sales network. Station-level operations are small (1-10 employees) and embedded within iHeartMedia's broader corporate structure.

Name

News/Talk 1130 WISN

Legal name

iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc.

Website

https://newstalk1130.iheart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

News/Talk 1130 WISN is a Milwaukee-market AM radio station owned by iHeartMedia, broadcasting local and syndicated news/talk programming, podcasts, and advertising to southeastern Wisconsin listeners via AM, iHeartRadio streaming, and smart speakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

News/Talk Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABABAD

News/Talk Radio Networks

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Broadcast Radio Networks

SECONDARYMPABACAF

Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Local Broadcast Stations & Affiliates (TV & Radio)

SECONDARYMPAIAEAA

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Radio & Audio Broadcasting (Terrestrial, Satellite, Digital Radio)

SECONDARYMPAIAEAG

Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Radio & Audio Broadcasting (Terrestrial, Satellite, Digital Radio)

SECONDARYMPAIADAJ

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Audio Streaming & Podcast Platforms

Keywords

• News talk radio
• AM radio broadcasting
• Podcast distribution
• Local news coverage
• Digital audio streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising: The primary revenue stream comes from selling advertising spots during radio broadcasts. Local businesses purchase airtime for commercials targeting the Milwaukee metro area audience, while national advertisers reach regional audiences through iHeartMedia's national sales network.
2. Digital Advertising: Digital advertising opportunities on the station's website, mobile app, and podcast content supplement traditional radio advertising revenue.
3. Event Sponsorships: The station sponsors and promotes local events such as Festa Italiana and Milwaukee Irish Fest, generating revenue through event partnerships and on-site branding opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

News/Talk 1130 WISN operates an AM radio station on 1130 kHz in Milwaukee, delivering a news/talk format that combines local programming (The Jay Weber Show, Dan O'Donnell, Mark Belling, Vicki McKenna) with nationally syndicated conservative talk shows (Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Coast to Coast AM). Content is distributed free to listeners via AM broadcast, the iHeartRadio streaming platform, a podcast library of 30+ shows, a mobile app, and smart speakers, with the station monetizing its audience through the sale of radio and digital advertising.

Product overview

News/Talk 1130 WISN is a Milwaukee-based AM radio station operated by iHeartMedia, offering live broadcast programming alongside a digital portfolio accessible through the iHeartRadio platform. The station provides a core AM broadcast product supplemented by an extensive podcast library containing over 30 named shows (including The Jay Weber Show, The Sean Hannity Show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, The Dan O'Donnell Show, and Vicki McKenna), a mobile application for iOS and Android, and smart speaker integrations for Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Content spans news, politics, sports, lifestyle, entertainment, and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iHeartRadio: Digital streaming platform and mobile application operated by iHeartMedia that provides access to WISN's live broadcast and podcasts.

Products and services

• News/Talk 1130 WISN AM Radio Broadcast Free over-the-air AM 1130 kHz broadcast serving the Milwaukee metropolitan area and southeastern Wisconsin with a news/talk format combining local programming and nationally syndicated conservative talk shows, targeting adult listeners seeking local news, political commentary, traffic and weather updates.
• WISN Podcast Library Free on-demand collection of more than 30 podcasts produced from WISN's local shows (The Jay Weber Show, The Dan O'Donnell Show, The Mark Belling Podcast, Vicki McKenna, WISN Morning Briefing) and syndicated programs (The Sean Hannity Show, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, Dan Small Outdoors, The Investment Show), accessible via the iHeart podcast network and third-party podcast platforms.
• WISN Radio Advertising Airtime Sold airtime on the AM 1130 broadcast purchased by local businesses, political campaigns, and national brands to reach the Milwaukee-area audience, sold through the station's local sales team and iHeartMedia's national advertising sales network on a quote-based, customized basis.
• WISN Digital and Podcast Advertising Digital advertising placements on the station's website, the iHeartRadio mobile app, and within podcast content sold to advertisers seeking to reach WISN's streaming and podcast audiences beyond the traditional AM broadcast signal.
• WISN Event Sponsorships Sponsorship and on-site branding packages for local Milwaukee community events such as Festa Italiana and Milwaukee Irish Fest, generating revenue through event partnerships and brand promotion to local demographics.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNews/Talk 1130 WISN is owned and operated by iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc., one of the largest radio broadcasting companies in the United States. The station benefits from iHeartMedia's national syndication network, digital streaming infrastructure (iHeartRadio platform), national advertising sales network, and shared technology platforms including podcast hosting and smart speaker integration.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WSB-AM (Atlanta): WSB is a Cox-owned news/talk AM in Atlanta and consistently one of the highest-billing stations in the U.S. It provides a comparable benchmark for monetization of news/talk in a major regional market.
• KFI AM 640 (Los Angeles): KFI is an iHeartMedia-owned news/talk AM station in Los Angeles and a sister property to WISN within the same parent company. Its operating playbook (local personalities + national syndication + podcasting) directly informs WISN's approach.
• WTOP-FM (DC): WTOP is the nation's highest-billing news/talk station (Hubbard Broadcasting), and the category benchmark for news/talk radio economics, digital extensions, and ad inventory. It is the closest functional analog to WISN within the news/talk format.
• WBBM Newsradio 780: WBBM is a Chicago all-news radio station owned by Audacy, directly competing for news-oriented listeners, commute-time advertising, and digital audio share in the Upper Midwest region served in part by WISN's digital streams.
• WTMJ 620 AM: WTMJ is Milwaukee's other major heritage news/talk AM station, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It competes directly with WISN for the same Milwaukee news/talk advertising dollars and listener share, using a comparable format mix of local news, talk, and sports programming.
• WGN 720 AM: WGN is a Chicago-based news/talk AM station owned by Nexstar Media Group. It mirrors WISN's format and operating model (legacy AM, local talk, national syndication) and competes for the same category of Midwest regional advertisers.

Broad incumbents

• Audacy, Inc. Audacy is a major U.S. radio broadcaster and audio publisher (owner of WBBM Newsradio and the Cadence13 podcast network). It competes with iHeartMedia's podcast and digital audio distribution for the same advertising and audience pool that WISN accesses through iHeartRadio.
• Cumulus Media: Cumulus Media is one of the largest U.S. radio station operators and a competitor to iHeartMedia for syndicated talk content, ad inventory at scale, and corporate-level audio platform strategy. As a competing group, it shapes the network economics that determine WISN's bargaining position.

Regional players

• WLS 890 AM: WLS is Chicago's heritage news/talk AM station, owned by Cumulus Media. It competes for the same regional talk-radio ad dollars and nationally syndicated conservative talk talent pool that WISN draws from, and serves as the benchmark Midwest news/talk AM format.

Emerging players

• WBEZ 91.5 FM: WBEZ is Chicago's NPR member station and a competitor for local news/talk audiences in the broader Upper Midwest corridor. While non-commercial, it competes for time-spent-listening among news-oriented commuters and podcast listeners who might otherwise tune to WISN or its streams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iheartmedia
• Xx.com/newstalk1130
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewsTalk1130WISN

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 News/Talk 1130 WISN