WZZM 13
WZZM 13 (13 ON YOUR SIDE) is a TEGNA-owned local television station serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan with multi-platform news, weather, sports, and traffic coverage. It monetizes through local advertising sales and cable/satellite retransmission consent fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WZZM 13 does
WZZM 13 (operating under the brand "13 ON YOUR SIDE") is a local broadcast television station serving Grand Rapids, Michigan and the surrounding West Michigan region. The station is owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), a publicly traded diversified media company, and operates as a private entity within TEGNA's station portfolio. WZZM 13 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, sports coverage spanning NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, golf, and World Cup soccer, as well as politics, health, and community features to viewers in its designated market area.
The station operates a multi-platform distribution model combining over-the-air broadcast on Channel 13, retransmission through cable and satellite providers (including DirecTV and Dish Network), digital streaming via its website (wzzm13.com and watch.wzzm13.com), mobile applications on iOS and Android, an active YouTube channel, and SMS-based weather alerts. Its technology stack centers on broadcast infrastructure augmented with interactive weather radar, on-demand streaming capability, push notification systems, and email newsletter delivery (Morning Briefing). The station maintains FCC licensing compliance with documented closed captioning procedures.
WZZM 13 generates revenue through two primary streams: local television advertising sales to regional businesses and advertisers seeking West Michigan consumer reach, and retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers carrying the WZZM-TV signal. As a local broadcast affiliate, the station operates a direct-to-consumer business model targeting West Michigan viewers on the audience side and local advertisers on the monetization side. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, consistent with standard broadcast TV commercial practices. The station also operates community engagement programs such as "13 Food for Families," "Teacher of the Week," "13 Loves Pets," and "America 250" that support brand equity and audience loyalty within its market.
WZZM 13 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WZZM 13
- Legal name
- WZZM-TV
- Website
- https://13onyourside.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- WZZM 13 (13 ON YOUR SIDE) is a TEGNA-owned local television station serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan with multi-platform news, weather, sports, and traffic coverage. It monetizes through local advertising sales and cable/satellite retransmission consent fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WZZM 13 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Broadcast Television
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)
Keywords
Where WZZM 13 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WZZM 13 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising Revenue: Local television advertising sales to regional businesses in West Michigan. Includes display ads on website and digital properties.
- Broadcast/Cable Distribution: Retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers carrying WZZM-TV signal
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
WZZM 13 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WZZM 13 (13 ON YOUR SIDE) operates a local broadcast television station serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan, producing and distributing local news, weather, sports, and traffic content. Distribution spans an over-the-air Channel 13 broadcast, the wzzm13.com digital news platform, a mobile app, weather text alerts, live streaming, and a YouTube channel. The station monetizes audience reach through local advertising sales to regional businesses and retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers.
Product overview
WZZM 13 (13 ON YOUR SIDE) is a local television station serving Grand Rapids, Michigan with a multi-platform news operation. The station operates as a unified media entity comprising a traditional TV broadcast, a comprehensive website (wzzm13.com), a dedicated weather service, a mobile application, a YouTube channel, and text-based alert services. The product portfolio centers on the 13 ON YOUR SIDE brand, delivering local news, weather forecasts, sports coverage, and community features across broadcast, digital, and mobile channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 13 ON YOUR SIDE TV News Broadcast Local television news broadcast on Channel 13 serving Grand Rapids, Michigan, delivering breaking news, local stories, politics, health coverage, and feature content to West Michigan viewers.
- wzzm13.com Online News Platform Digital news platform providing local news, weather, sports, traffic updates, and community features for West Michigan viewers via wzzm13.com and watch.wzzm13.com on-demand streaming.
- 13 ON YOUR SIDE Weather Service Weather forecasting and reporting service for West Michigan including an interactive radar, 10-day and hourly forecasts, weather maps, severe weather alerts, and closings and delays information.
- 13 ON YOUR SIDE Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing on-demand access to local news, weather forecasts, sports coverage, push notifications, and breaking news from the 13 ON YOUR SIDE newsroom.
Companies that use WZZM 13
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WZZM 13 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
WZZM 13 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
WZZM 13 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- MLive: Michigan-focused digital news outlet providing statewide and Grand Rapids-area coverage. Represents the digital-native competition for local news audience attention and online ad revenue.
Direct peers
- WXMI: FOX affiliate also serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Head-to-head rival for local news viewers and advertisers, operating broadcast plus digital news properties similar to WZZM 13.
- WWMT: Direct competitor as the CBS affiliate covering West Michigan, including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Competes for the same local news audience and regional advertising dollars across broadcast and digital platforms.
- WOOD-TV: Direct competitor as the NBC affiliate serving the same Grand Rapids/West Michigan DMA. Both stations compete for local viewers, advertisers, and digital audiences with overlapping news, weather, and sports coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Nexstar Media Group: Largest US local TV station group operating hundreds of affiliates nationwide. Provides structural comparability on retransmission economics, ad sales scale, and digital expansion strategy across mid-sized DMAs.
- Gray Television: Public broadcast group with stations across mid-sized US markets similar to Grand Rapids. Closely comparable in market size, revenue structure (local ads + retransmission), and digital portfolio strategy.
- Hearst Television: Privately-held division operating local TV stations across the US. Comparable in network-affiliated broadcast model, digital platform development, and local content production.
- Sinclair Broadcast Group: Major US broadcast group operating local stations across multiple markets. Comparable in business model, revenue mix (ads + retransmission), and digital streaming strategy to WZZM's TEGNA parent operations.
Others
- TEGNA Inc. WZZM's publicly traded parent company (NYSE: TGNA). As the operator of the station and a peer broadcast group, TEGNA's overall portfolio economics, retransmission strategy, and digital roadmap directly shape WZZM's trajectory.
- Lock-ON Podcast Network: Sports podcast network that WZZM 13 distributes via its sports section. Represents the broader shift toward on-demand, niche audio content that competes for the same commuter/listening audience as local TV news.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WZZM 13 social profiles
Digital presenceWZZM 13 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
WZZM 13 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WZZM 13 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WZZM 13 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WZZM 13 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WZZM 13
What does WZZM 13 do?
WZZM 13 (13 ON YOUR SIDE) operates a local broadcast television station serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan, producing and distributing local news, weather, sports, and traffic content. Distribution spans an over-the-air Channel 13 broadcast, the wzzm13.com digital news platform, a mobile app, weather text alerts, live streaming, and a YouTube channel. The station monetizes audience reach through local advertising sales to regional businesses and retransmission consent fees from cable and satellite providers.
Is WZZM 13 a public or private company?
WZZM 13 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was WZZM 13 founded?
WZZM 13 was founded in -1.
Where is WZZM 13 based?
WZZM 13 is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does WZZM 13 make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising Revenue is the primary driver. The others are broadcast/Cable Distribution.
Who are WZZM 13's main competitors?
MLive is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are WXMI, WWMT and WOOD-TV. Broad incumbents are Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television, Hearst Television and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Others are TEGNA Inc. and Lock-ON Podcast Network.
Does WZZM 13 have an API?
No public API is recorded for WZZM 13.
What industry is WZZM 13 in?
WZZM 13's product category is Local Broadcast Television. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAJ, Local News & Weather Stations, with a secondary code of MPABAHAK, News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels. Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.