What WUSF does

WUSF Public Media is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public radio organization legally operated under USF Foundation Inc. and institutionally housed as a department of the University of South Florida. Founded in 1965, it holds an FCC broadcast license through the USF Board of Trustees and operates WUSF 89.7 FM as the Tampa Bay affiliate of National Public Radio, serving west central Florida from Crystal River to Port Charlotte and east to Osceola County. The station carries NPR programming such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered alongside locally produced news, podcasts, and specialty content covering Florida politics, education, health, environment, and arts. The WUSF Network includes Classical WSMR (classical music), WUSF Jazz, Arts Axis Florida, and WUSF Noticias (Spanish-language news), distributing across broadcast, mobile app, website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Bluesky), newsletters, and podcasts including Florida Matters, The Bay Blend, The Florida Roundup, and Defenders of the Everglades. In 2025 the newsroom won the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Large Market Radio.

The organization is funded primarily through listener donations and corporate sponsorships, with recommended sustainer memberships of $20/month for WUSF and $15/month for Classical WSMR and major-gift tiers ranging from Cornerstone at $1,200+ up to Leadership Society at $10,000+. Historically, additional support came from federal funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and from the State of Florida, but more than $800,000 of that institutional funding has been eliminated. To offset this, WUSF has expanded its major-gift ladder, introduced the NPR Plus membership tier, and intensified sustainer acquisition. Customer segments are primarily west central Florida residents who consume local and national public radio content, supported by a distributed base of individual donors and an undisclosed roster of for-profit and nonprofit corporate sponsors seeking association with the educated, higher-income public media audience.

The underlying technology stack is conventional broadcast radio infrastructure augmented by digital streaming through the website and mobile apps. There is no evidence of proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML systems, or software products; the differentiated asset base is editorial rather than technical, anchored by the NPR affiliation, the FCC license, the USF institutional relationship, the Murrow Award-recognized newsroom, and the multi-format network. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on broadcast reach, newsletters, podcasts, social media, and community events to build listener loyalty and convert that engagement into recurring donations and corporate sponsorship revenue.

Name

WUSF

Legal name

USF Foundation Inc.

Website

https://wusf.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WUSF Public Media is a nonprofit NPR-affiliated public radio organization serving west central Florida through broadcast, podcasts, digital news, mobile apps, and Spanish-language programming, operating as a department of the University of South Florida and funded by listener donations and corporate sponsorships.

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/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

News Talk Radio & Current Affairs Stations (MPABAIAI), Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• NPR affiliate news
• Local journalism coverage
• Classical music programming
• Community media services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Listener Donations/Membership: WUSF relies heavily on listener donations and sustaining memberships. Donors can give monthly or one-time gifts, with various tiers of recognition and benefits including thank-you gifts, event invitations, and studio tours.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support WUSF programming in exchange for on-air announcements and association with public media content. The station offers both non-profit and for-profit on-air announcement packages.
3. Leadership Giving Programs: Major donor programs including Cornerstone ($1,200+), Cornerstone Partner ($2,500+), Cornerstone Leader ($5,000+), and Leadership Society ($10,000+) with exclusive benefits and recognition.
4. Federal and State Funding: WUSF historically received federal funding through CPB and state funding from Florida, though these sources have been eliminated, resulting in over $800,000 in lost support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WUSF operates a nonprofit public radio station (89.7 FM) and digital media network serving west central Florida with locally-produced journalism, NPR syndicated programming, classical music (Classical WSMR), jazz programming (WUSF Jazz), original podcasts, and Spanish-language news (WUSF Noticias). The station delivers content across broadcast radio, streaming, mobile apps, and social platforms, funded primarily through listener donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

WUSF Public Media is a nonprofit public radio organization operating as a unified multi-platform media portfolio. The core product is WUSF 89.7, an NPR-affiliated radio station serving west central Florida with local news, original journalism, and NPR programming. This is supplemented by sub-brands Classical WSMR (classical music) and WUSF Jazz. The organization distributes content across multiple channels including a mobile app, original podcasts (The Bay Blend, Florida Matters Live & Local, Defenders of the Everglades, The Zest Podcast, The Florida Roundup, Our Changing State), syndicated NPR programs (Morning Edition, All Things Considered), and specialized news services (WUSF Noticias for Spanish-language content, Health News Florida). Partnerships include Arts Axis Florida for arts accessibility and Google Preferred News Source status. Revenue is generated through listener donations, corporate sponsorships, and major gifts programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wake Up Call: Daily news update newsletter sent Monday-Friday
• Florida Matters
• Health News Florida
• The Bay Blend
• Defenders of the Everglades

Products and services

• WUSF 89.7 WUSF 89.7 is the main public radio station serving west central Florida, airing local news, NPR programming, and original content covering the Tampa Bay region.
• Classical WSMR Classical WSMR is a classical music radio station operated by WUSF, serving Sarasota, Tampa Bay and beyond with classical music programming.
• WUSF Jazz WUSF Jazz provides jazz music programming as part of the WUSF network's music offerings.
• WUSF Mobile App A mobile application allowing listeners to access WUSF programming on their phones, featuring live radio streaming and on-demand content.
• The Bay Blend A local podcast produced by WUSF covering topics relevant to the Tampa Bay area.
• Florida Matters Live & Local A weekly live and local podcast from WUSF that covers Florida-specific news and topics.
• Defenders of the Everglades An environmental podcast from WUSF covering the fight to protect the Everglades ecosystem.
• The Zest Podcast A WUSF podcast covering arts and culture topics in the Tampa Bay region.
• The Florida Roundup A weekly news podcast covering Florida politics and current events.
• Our Changing State A WUSF podcast examining how Florida is changing and the impact on residents.
• Morning Edition NPR's morning news show airing on WUSF, covering national and international news.
• All Things Considered NPR's afternoon news show airing on WUSF, covering national and international news.
• WUSF Noticias Spanish-language news content from WUSF covering local and Florida news for Spanish-speaking audiences.
• Health News Florida Health-focused news coverage from WUSF addressing medical topics and trends relevant to Florida residents.
• Arts Axis Florida A service making art more accessible to the Tampa Bay community by promoting local arts events and performances.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Large Market Radio

Named customers1 record

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWUSF is the Tampa NPR station, carrying national NPR programming including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and other NPR shows. This partnership provides access to national news and feature content that complements WUSF's local journalism.
• University of South FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWUSF is a department of USF, with the USF Board of Trustees holding broadcast licenses. The station operates on the Tampa campus and provides educational opportunities including internships for journalism and media students.
• Classical WSMRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClassical WSMR is WUSF's classical music radio station, part of the WUSF network, serving Sarasota and Tampa Bay with classical music programming.
• Arts Axis FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Axis Florida is part of the WUSF network, focused on making art more accessible to the Tampa Bay community through coverage and promotion of local arts events and performances.
• WUSF's Longest TableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement initiative part of the WUSF network, fostering dialogue and connection within the west central Florida community.
• The Florida ChannelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWUSF partners with The Florida Channel to provide coverage of Florida government and public affairs programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WMFE / Central Florida Public Media: Orlando-based NPR affiliate operating as a public radio station serving central Florida with similar news, talk, and classical programming mix. Directly comparable in nonprofit model, NPR affiliation, and Florida market focus.
• WLRN Public Media: South Florida NPR member station operating radio and TV services from Miami. Closest direct peer to WUSF in terms of Florida geography, NPR affiliation, nonprofit status, and multi-platform content distribution.
• WGCU Public Media: Southwest Florida NPR affiliate operated by Florida Gulf Coast University, serving Fort Myers and surrounding markets. Similar university-affiliated nonprofit structure and public radio operations model.
• WJCT Public Media: Jacksonville NPR and PBS affiliate operating public radio and television services. Comparable in multi-platform nonprofit public media operations, though operates in a different Florida region.
• WFSU Public Media: Tallahassee-based public radio and TV station operated by Florida State University. Directly comparable university-affiliated public broadcasting model serving a different Florida market.
• KCRW: Major market NPR affiliate in Los Angeles known for award-winning journalism and digital innovation. Comparable in nonprofit status, public radio operations, and strong podcast portfolio, though serves a much larger market.
• WAMU 88.5: Washington DC NPR affiliate operated by American University. Comparable university-affiliated public radio station model with strong news/talk programming and significant podcast presence.

Regional players

• WMNF Community Radio: Tampa Bay community radio station operating in the same geographic market as WUSF. Different model (community vs NPR-affiliated nonprofit) but competes for local listener attention and donation dollars in west central Florida.

Broad incumbents

• NPR (National Public Radio): National public radio network of which WUSF is a member station. Provides programming content (Morning Edition, All Things Considered) that WUSF broadcasts, and serves as the umbrella brand for affiliated stations across the country.

Others

• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB): Federal entity historically providing funding to WUSF and other public media stations. While not a direct competitor, CPB is a critical funding and ecosystem partner whose elimination has directly impacted WUSF's operating budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wusf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsN1ZItTKcJ4AGsBIni35gg
• Facebookfacebook.com/WUSF
• Instagraminstagram.com/wusfpublicmedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wusf-public-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 WUSF