Sponsorship
WBOI by the Numbers
Who's listening when your organization is on the air.
- 22,500weekly listeners
- 63%say WBOI is their most-listened station
- 3,000+member households
- 250Kwebsite sessions a year
Source: Nielsen via Radio Research Consortium, 5-book average SP24–SP26; NPR Analytics, trailing 365 days.
Why WBOI
Public radio doesn't run ads. It runs on trust.
WBOI listeners chose noncommercial radio on purpose. An underwriting credit reaches them without the skepticism a commercial spot carries.
- An engaged, loyal audience Listeners give programming their full attention — and remember who supports the station.
- Your message stands out Credits run inside the programming, not in a commercial break. Fewer messages per hour.
- Your support funds the newsroom Federal and state funding for public media was eliminated in 2025. Underwriting keeps local reporting on the air.
- Independent, locally powered WBOI runs on member and underwriter support, not commercial ad dollars.
Audience
One signal, three states.
WBOI broadcasts from Fort Wayne to listeners across Northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and southern Michigan — on air, online, and on demand.
- 22,500 weekly listeners · 1,100 average quarter-hour persons
- 6½ hours of listening per person each week
- 63% say WBOI is the station they listen to most (P1)
- 87% of listening happens at home or in the car
- 51% male, 49% female · 63% are 55+, largest group 65–74 (24%) · 33% are 25–54
Source: Nielsen RRC 5-book average, SP24–SP26. FY25–26.
- 250,447 website sessions a year · 426 daily active users
- 3,226 app users a year · 1,011 streaming sessions a day
- 6,190 newsletter subscribers · 14.8% open rate
- 7,343 social followers: 5,057 Facebook · 1,966 Instagram · 320 LinkedIn
- 10,157 annual Who & What podcast downloads
Source: NPR Analytics; Mailchimp; Meta Business Suite; LinkedIn. Trailing 365 days.
- FM: 89.1 FM at 50,000 watts, 24 hours a day
- Counties: Allen, Whitley, Huntington, Wells, Adams, DeKalb, Noble and surrounding counties, plus northwest Ohio and southern Michigan
- HD Radio: HD1 simulcast; HD2 carries the Allen County Public Library's reading service
- Everywhere else: WBOI.org, the WBOI app, smart speakers, connected cars, and Live and Local at The Landing
County-by-county reach map available on request.
As an NPR member station, WBOI carries programming heard by 42 million people weekly. Nationally, NPR listeners are:
- 80% more likely to be involved in purchase decisions at work
- 153% more likely to donate to arts, cultural, or environmental organizations
- 216% more likely to contact an elected official
84% have taken action after hearing a sponsorship message, and 77% prefer to do business with NPR sponsors.
National NPR data, not WBOI's local audience. Source: National Public Media — MRI-Simmons Fall 2025; Kantar 2026.
Opportunities
Six ways to reach our audience.
Mix and match across platforms. Select one to see what's included.
Audio
Voiced live on 89.1 FM by WBOI announcers and carried everywhere listeners stream us.
- Standard rotation: :30 credits across news and music programming, 5x per week
- Drive-time premium: :30 credits in Morning Edition or All Things Considered
- Weekend rotation: :30 credits across weekend programming, 3x per week
- Livestream pre-roll: a :15 message heard at the start of every stream on WBOI.org, the app and smart speakers
Flights: 1, 4, 13, 26 or 52 weeks · Lead time: 7 business days
Podcast
Underwrite Who & What, WBOI's daily news podcast.
- Pre-roll: :30 message at the start of each episode
- Mid-roll: :30 message at the midpoint of each episode
- Custom package: a mix of pre-roll and mid-roll, scaled to your budget
Downloads: 10,157 a year · On: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, WBOI app, NPR app · Lead time: 7 business days
Website & App
Your brand beside trusted local journalism, in a clearly labeled "Support for WBOI.org comes from:" placement.
- Homepage: 970×250, 728×90 or 300×250 px
- Article pages: 300×250 or 300×600 px
- WBOI app: 320×50 or 300×250 px
Files: JPG, PNG, GIF or HTML5 · 72 DPI · 100 KB max · Lead time: 7 business days · Artwork to: sponsorship@wboi.org
Newsletter
Reach 6,190 subscribers who asked to hear from WBOI.
- Dedicated mention: a named, standalone underwriting mention in a send
- Banner placement: a full-width banner below the lead Local News story for a month of sends, credited "Support for Frequency comes from:"
Banner: 1200×600 px, JPG or PNG under 1 MB · Due: 5 business days before send
Social Media
WBOI-produced posts on our own accounts, recognizing your organization — not paid ad campaigns.
- Feed post: on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Story mention: a Facebook or Instagram Story linking to you
- Event & collab: a co-hosted event, or a joint Instagram collab post
- Custom package: a mix of posts, Stories and events for ongoing visibility
Followers: 7,343 combined · Lead time: 7 business days
Custom & Events
- Day underwriting: recognized as underwriter of the broadcast day, across every daypart. About Day Sponsors
- Live and Local at The Landing: season-long underwriting of WBOI's live local-music series
- Community events: tailored support of WBOI-hosted or co-hosted events
- Honor Roll: year-round recognition as a business supporter. See the Honor Roll
Pricing for every option is on the rate card. Request the rate card
FCC guidelines
What a compliant credit sounds like.
WBOI writes and produces every credit with you, so you don't need to know the rules by heart. Here's what to expect.
Sample credit
"Support for WBOI comes from Anytown Theater Group, presenting The Season: Europa. The season starts in September and includes six plays. Info at anytowntheatergroup dot org."
Credits name who you are, what you offer and where to learn more, in a neutral, informational voice. Please allow one week for production.
Can include
- Your organization's name and location
- Products or services, including brands or trade names
- Event dates and times
- Years in business
- An established slogan or tagline
- Phone number or website
Can't include
- Comparative, qualitative or overtly promotional claims
- Prices, discounts or value claims
- Inducements to buy, sell, rent, lease or borrow
- Third-party endorsements
- Calls to action
- "You," "we," "us" or "I" language implying station endorsement
Digital placements on WBOI.org, the WBOI app and the newsletter may also show a static logo, an established tagline and a link to your website. WBOI does not accept underwriting for illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, or political messages.
FAQ
Common questions.
Quick answers to what businesses ask us most.
How much does underwriting cost?
Rates depend on the platform, flight length and frequency. Request the rate card and we'll build options around your budget.
How soon can my message start?
Most placements need 7 business days of lead time. Newsletter artwork is due 5 business days before the send.
Who writes my credit?
WBOI staff write and produce every announcement with you, following FCC guidelines. Allow one week for production.
Can I combine platforms?
Yes. Underwriting can run across any combination of air, podcast, web, app, newsletter, social and events.
Get started
Three steps to your first credit.
Most placements can start within 7 business days of approval.
